y  1  » 


THE 


PIONEERS.  OF  THE  WEST: 


OR, 


LIFE  IN  THE  WOODS. 


BY  W.  P.  STRICKLAND. 


WESTWARD  THE    COURSE   OF    EMPIRE    TAKES    ITS  WAT. 

Biehop  Berkley. 


FIFTH  THOUSAND* 

fUto-f  0rJt: 

CARLTON  &  PORTER, 
J.   P.  MAGEE, 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1856, 

BY  W.  P.  STRICKLAND, 
in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Southern  District  of  New- York. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  — THE  WEST  .   9 

II.  — PIONEER  EXPLORERS  OF  THE  WEST   21 

III.  — THE  HUNTERS  OF  THE  WEST   47 

IV.  -  THE  PIONEER  SETTLERS   90 

V.— THE  PIONEER  PREACHERS  137 

VI.  — PIONEER  INSTITUTIONS  AND  PROFESSIONAL  MEN. . . .  172 

VII.  — PIONEER  BOATMEN  \ . . .  185 

VIII. — THE  PROPHET  FRANCIS   211 

IX.— LOGAN,  THE  MINGO  CHIEF   225 

X.— THE  MOUNTAIN  HUNTER   246 

XL— INDIAN  CAPTIVITY   263 

XIL— "THE  OLD  CHIEF;"  OR,  THE  INDIAN  MISSIONARY. . . .  296 

XIII.  — THE  HERMIT   331 

XIV.  — PIONEER  PANTHER  HUNTING   358 

XV.— THE  SQUATTER  FAMILY   371 

XVI.— THE  LOST  HUNTER   381 

XVII.— THE  WISCONSIN  SCHOOLMA'AM   387 


lustration* 


PAGK 

LOG  CABIN   2 

MORAVIAN  MISSIONARY   26 

HUNTERS  OF  THE  WEST   46 

PIONEER  SETTLERS   91 

EMIGRANTS'  WAGON   101 

PROPHET  FRANCIS   210 

WYANDOT  CHURCH  297 

THE  HERMIT   830 

THE  LOST  HUNTER   380 


THE 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


CHAPTEE  L 

THE  WEST. 

The  West  and  its  past  history  have  been  a  prolific 
theme.  Its  early  exploration  and  settlement  by  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race,  whose  toils,  hardships,  and  deeds 
of  heroic  bravery  will  be  the  wonder  of  all  times, 
have  called  forth  the  labors  of  the  most  gifted  pens, 
both  at  home  and  abroad.  Nor  is  the  theme  yet 
exhausted.  The  narratives  occasioned  by  continued 
investigation  and  research,  grow  fresher  and  more 
interesting  as  time  rolls  on,  disclosing  more  fully  the 
history  and  romance  of  the  past.  The  labors  of  one 
in  this  field  serve  but  as  an  incentive  by  increasing 
the  aggregate  of  historic  materials  for  the  succeeding 
labors  of  others. 

The  pen  of  Cooper  has  graphically  portrayed  the 
events  connected  with  some  of  the  early  settlers  of  the 


10 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


East,  and  one  of  the  characters  in  his  tale  of  the  Pio- 
neers, whether  real  or  imaginary,  is  made  to  close  his 
days  in  the  "West.  "  Leather  Stocking,"  the  renowned 
hunter,  whose  rude  hut  stood  not  far  from  the  shores  of 
Otsego,  and  whose  rifle  sent  its  unerring  death  message 
alike  to  the  heart  of  a  panther,  the  head  of  a  turkey,  a 
bird  on  the  wing,  a  loon  on  the  lake,  or  a  hostile  Indian ; 
or  who  could  pierce  a  fish  with  his  tri-pronged  gig 
eighteen  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  water — this 
same  bold  and  daring  hunter,  after  the  settlers  had 
become  too  numerous  for  his  comfort,  and  would  too 
often  cross  his  path  in  the  woods  through  which  he 
had  roamed  for  upward  of  half  a  century,  and  in 
which  he  had  made  his  home  for  forty  years,  sought 
a  wider  and  a  freer  scope  in  the  boundless  "West. 

On  one  occasion,  when  his  young  friend  Edwards, 
of  "York,"  astonished  at  his  preference  for  unin- 
habited regions,  said  to  him,  in  answer  to  some 
remarks  on  this  subject, 

"Woods!  do  you  not  call  these  endless  forests 
woods  ?"  the  hunter  replied, 

u  I  don't  call  them  woods,  when  I  can  lose  myself 
every  day  of  my  life  in  the  clearings.  The  meanest 
of  God's  creatures  are  made  for  some  use,  and  I  am 
formed  for  the  wilderness.  Let  me  go  where  rny 
soul  longs  to  be  again."  Thus  saying,  he  shouted  to 
his  dogs,  that  were  lying  in  the  grass  of  the  burial- 
ground,  which  contained  the  ashes  of  his  long-tried 


THE  WEST. 


11 


and  trusty  friend,  the  Mohican,  an  Indian  chief, 
who  had  shared  his  hut  and  fare :  "  Away,  dogs, 
away ;  you'll  be  foot-sore  before  you  see  the  end  of 
your  journey;"  and  started  out  upon  his  course. 
Having  passed  the  clearing,  with  a  long  last  wave  of 
his  honest  hand  he  bade  adieu  to  his  friends,  and 
was  soon  lost  to  sight  in  the  forest,  directing  his 
hurried  steps  toward  the  setting  sun. 

According  to  present  geographical  division,  the 
United  States  are  parceled  off  into  separate  classes, 
denominated  the  Eastern,  Western,  Northern  or 
Middle,  and  Southern.  The  Northern  States  are 
those  comprised  within  the  limits  included  in  that 
portion  north  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line,  and 
extending  to  the  Lakes;  the  Southern,  all  that 
lie  south  of  that  line ;  the  Eastern,  those  which  lie 
along  the  Atlantic;  but  who  can  tell  the  localities 
and  define  the  boundaries  of  the  Western?  what 
they  are,  and  what  they  shall  be?  only  that  they 
extend  from  the  foot  of  the  Alleghanies  to  the  great 
rocky  chain  that  rises  from  the  trackless  plains  and 
desert  lakes,  and  from  thence  spreading  away  over 
dense,  interminable  forests,  into  which  the  ax  of 
the  woodman  has  never  let  the  light  of  the  sun  fall,  to 
the  far-off  Pacific. 

We  shall  not  confine  our  sketches  to  what  is  now 
usually  assigned  as  the  limits  of  the  West.  Once  the 
entire  continents  of  North  and  South  America  were 


12 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


called  the  West ;  and  as  the  patriot  knows  no  North, 
or  East,  or  South,  so  we  shall  know  no  West; 
but  from,  lakes  to  ocean,  and  from  mountain  to 
mountain,  embracing  the  mighty  valley,  and  all  that 
lies  beyond,  we  shall  feel  our  pen  at  liberty  to 
describe  the  events  connected  with  its  pioneer  history. 

Other  parts  of  the  country  are  finished,  or  nearly 
so ;  but  the  West  is  in  its  infancy,  and  has  just  begun 
its  development.  No  imagination  is  bold  and  capa- 
cious enough  to  grasp  its  future.  There  is  room 
sufficient  in  its  wide  expanse,  and  resources  enough 
in  its  bosom,  for  the  erection  and  establishment  of 
empires  great  as  the  world  has  ever  known.  We 
may  refer  to  its  beginnings,  and  recall  the  scenes  of 
border  life  in  its  once  dense,  uncultivated  forests, 
and  along  its  mighty  rivers,  and  on  its  broad  plains 
and  almost  boundless  prairies,  where  every  inch  of 
the  pioneer  was  contested  by  the  native  red  man, 
and  the  wild  beasts,  which,  like  him,  roamed  unfet- 
tered and  free  through  its  equally  wild  forests ;  we 
may  tell  of  the  sacrifices,  toils,  and  perils  of  the  back- 
woodsman, in  leveling  these  forests,  and  clearing  and 
cultivating  farms,  rearing  towns  and  cities,  and  found- 
ing institutions  of  religion  and  learning;  but  who 
shall  tell  of  its  future  ?  What  imagination  can  con- 
ceive, or  what  pen  describe,  the  scenes  that  are  to 
rise  up  and  unroll  themselves,  like  a  mighty  pano- 
rama, before  the  vision  of  coming  generations  ? 


THE  WEST. 


13 


Not  more  mysterious  was  it  in  its  beginning,  be- 
wildering the  minds  of  the  profoundest  archaeologists 
and  ethnologists  who  have  attempted  to  read  its 
records  in  the  mounds,  fortifications,  walls,  elevated 
squares,  and  covered  ways,  which  are  scattered 
thickly  over  the  land,  like  the  monuments  of  Egypt; 
but  which,  unlike  the  doomed  cities  of  the  Nile,  have 
left  no  Kosetta  stone  to  decipher  their  meaning,  or 
afford  the  slightest  clew  to  their  origin  or  uses,  or  to 
the  race  which  has  long  since  passed  away.  Numer- 
ous books  have  been  written,  and  authors  have  ex- 
hausted both  their  genius  and  learning  in  attempting 
to  fathom  the  mystery  of  a  race  concerning  whom  the 
present  red  man  knows  nothing.  All  the  different 
tribes  and  races  inhabiting  the  West  and  the  South 
have  been  questioned,  and  their  traditions  from  re- 
motest times  rehearsed  and  interpreted;  but  a  bound- 
ary beyond  which  no  tradition  or  conjecture  could 
pass  was  invariably  reached,  forming  an  impassable 
barrier,  and  creating  a  chasm  as  wide  between  the 
primitive  race  and  the  present,  as  that  which  separ- 
ates us  from  the  first  ages  of  mankind  before  the 
flood,  as  it  regards  time ;  but  vastly  more  inexplicable 
as  it  regards  lineal  descent.  Whence  came  the  first 
inhabitants  of  the  land  I  Who  reared  those  immense 
and  numerous  fortifications  and  temples,  the  ruins  of 
which  only  can  be  seen?  Who  were  they?  whence 
came  they?  and  whither  did  they  go?  are  questions 


14 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


alike  involved  in  a  mystery  deep  and  profound  as  the 
silence  which  reigns  over  the  graves  where  they  have 
been  slumbering  for  a  thousand  years.  They  are  un- 
known to  history,  prophecy,  or  song.  No  writ,  or 
scroll,  or  strain,  is  left  among  the  nations,  to  tell  of 
their  eventful  history  and  fate.  Other  nations  have 
been  blotted  from  the  roll  of  the  living,  but  have  left 
memorials  of  their  existence  which  contain  records  of 
their  history  and  destiny.  Petra,  the  proud  capital  of 
Edom,  with  its  excavated  palaces,  temples,  triumphal 
arches,  and  tombs,  though  the  winds  of  heaven  have 
scattered  the  very  ashes  of  her  dead,  has  left,  written 
on  her  everlasting  rocks,  characters  that  are  legible 
to  the  traveler  after  the  last  of  the  nation  had  been 
buried  a  thousand  years:  but  where,  in  all  the 
mounds  and  fortifications  of  this  land,  can  be  found 
a  single  script  to  tell  of  the  departed?  Huge  skulls 
and  giant  frames  have  been  plowed  up  by  the  hand 
of  civilization;  the  resting-places  of  the  dead  have 
been  invaded  by  the  restless  search  of  the  anti- 
quarian ;  but  Decay's  effacing  hand  has  swept  away 
every  line  and  trace  that  would  either  lead  to  an 
identification  of  the  race  with  any  of  the  world's 
present  inhabitants,  or  to  a  knowledge  of  their  won- 
derful history — the  more  wonderful  because  of  the 
mystery  that  enshrouds  it. 

History  tells  of  the  Druids,  a  primitive  race  who 
inhabited  the  island  of  Britain;  and  Stonehenge, 


THE  WEST. 


15 


which  gives  evidence  in  its  construction  of  a  knowl- 
edge and  skill  in  mechanical  philosophy  unknown 
even  to  the  present  age  of  progress,  stands  a  con- 
firmation strong  of  their  existence  and  history;  but 
what  record,  sacred  or  profane — what  rock,  or  mound, 
or  wall,  contains  any  allusion  to  the  original  inhabit- 
ants who  dwelt  on  the  borders  of  our  lakes,  on  the 
banks  of  our  rivers,  or  on  the  plains  and  in  the  val- 
leys of  the  land?  All  is  still  and  silent  as  a  hushed 
eve  of  Indian  summer  on  a  vast  prairie,  whose  far-off 
boundaries  are  closed  in  on  all  sides  by  the  descend- 
ing sky. 

"We  talk  of  the  East — not  New  England,  with  its 
granite  mountains  and  granite  hearts,  and  rocky 
shores,  and  beautiful  villas,  and  magnificent  cities, 
and  honest  people — but,  further  on  toward  the  rising 
sun,  of  Rome  and  Jerusalem,  of  Babylon  and  Nine- 
veh, the  land  of  Caesar  and  Virgil,  of  Jesus  and  Paul, 
of  Belus  and  Ninus ;  and  we  sit  enchanted,  as  a  Ste- 
phens and  Robinson,  a  Layard,  Durbin,  and  Lynch, 
describe  the  grandeur  of  their  ancient  ruins ;  but  who 
can  tell  if  the  ruins  in  our  own  land,  though  not  so 
magnificent,  are  not  really  as  ancient  as  some  of  those  ? 
The  grand  old  woods,  and  mountains,  and  plains, 
may  even  be  more  ancient,  if  the  geology  of  some  be 
true ;  but  whether  so  or  not,  they  are  primeval,  and, 
so  far  as  antiquity  is  concerned,  are  alike  interesting 
and  wonderful,  apart  from  historic  associations,  as  the 


16 


PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


groves,  and  mountains,  and  plains  of  Italy,  Palestine, 
or  Assyria.  If  among  the  native  inhabitants  there 
were  none  to  record  cotemporaneous  history,  or  no 

u  Prophet  bard  to  wake  the  lyre  of  song," 

thus  perpetuating  their  names  and  memory,  enough 
is  left  to  tell  their  numbers,  and  strength,  and  skill, 
and  of  an  antiquity  little,  if  any,  inferior  to  the  Ori- 
ental nations  of  the  past.  But  we  must  return  to  our 
theme,  the  West.  Four  centuries  have  nearly  passed 
away  since  the  first  white  man  cast  his  eye  upon  the 
continent  of  America,  and  upward  of  three  hun- 
dred since  the  fiftieth  degree  of  north  latitude  was 
reached  by  the  daring  Spaniard.  Not  long  after, 
Fernando  de  Soto,  with  six  hundred  stalwart  knights, 
entered  the  land  of  flowers  in  search  of  gold.  Ex- 
ploring Georgia  and  Alabama,  and  destroying  the 
Indian  town  of  Mobile,  he  pushed  his  enterprise 
into  Mississippi  and  Arkansas.  Descending  the  Mis- 
sissippi to  the  mouth  of  Red  River,  he  was  invited 
by  the  Indians  to  visit  the  town  of  Natchez,  where 
he  ended  his  fruitless  search  for  gold  with  his  life, 
and  was  buried  beneath  the  Mississippi's  turbid 
wave.  His  companions,  headed  by  Moscoso,  pushed 
their  journey  further;  but  having  been  reduced  by 
wars  and  hardships  to  one  half  of  their  original 
numbers,  disheartened  with  the  prospect,  and  losing 
all  hopes  of  gaining  the  object  of  their  pursuit,  they 


THE  WEST. 


17 


constructed  a  flotilla,  in  which  they  descended  the 
Mississippi;  and,  finding  a  voyage  to  their  own 
country,  they  returned  no  more  to  tempt  the  dan- 
gerous wave  or  enter  the  wilderness  of  the  New 
World.  The  sad  fate  which  befell  De  la  Koque  and 
his  company  of  adventurers  to  this  far-off  land  of 
flowers  and  gold,  gave  a  check,  for  many  years,  to 
the  spirit  pf  enterprise  in  this  direction.  The  reports 
from  the  country,  however,  were  of  so  enchanting  a 
nature,  having  lost  nothing  by  the  distance  between 
it  and  Spain,  and  the  time  it  took  to  cross  the  ocean, 
that  the  then  reigning  queen,  as  a  memorial  of  her 
state  in  life,  named  it  Virginia,  a  name  subsequently 
confined  to  one  of  the  states.  Thus  voyages  and  dis- 
coveries, attended  with  successes  and  disasters,  con- 
tinued to  be  made;  until,  at  length,  a  permanent 
settlement  of  the  whites  from  England  was  effected 
at  J amestown  in  1607. 

For  more  than  a  century  after  De  Soto's  expedition 
into  the  Great  Western  Valley  of  North  America, 
this  vast  wilderness  remained  utterly  unknown  to  the 
whites.  In  the  year  1616,  four  years  before  the  May 
Flower  was  "  moored  on  wild  New-England's  shore," 
Le  Caron,  from  France,  had  penetrated  through  the 
nations  of  the  Iroquois  and  Wyandots,  and  found  the 
rivers  of  the  wilderness,  one  of  which  he  traced  to 
Lake  Huron.  Shortly  after  this,  Canadian  envoys 
pushed  their  explorations  until  they  met  the  Indian 


18 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


nations  of  the  northwest,  on  the  far-off  shores  of  Lake 
Superior.  It  was  not,  however,  to  remain.  The 
wildness  of  the  region  was  sufficient  to  intimidate 
even  the  spirit  of  such  daring  adventurers;  and  it 
was  twenty  years  later  before  even  the  love  of  gain 
could  prompt  the  fur  trader  to  spend  the  winter  on 
those  frozen  and  inhospitable  shores.  But  the  spirit 
of  adventure  was  abroad ;  and  enough  had  been  seen 
and  heard  of  the  West,  and  its  rich  lands  and  hunting 
grounds,  to  stir  the  adventurer  to  action.  Soon 
Michigan  is  explored,  and  the  French  take  formal 
possession  of  the  northwest.  Others  start  out  to 
find  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri,  and 
trace  it  to  its  mouth.  In  these  expeditions,  what 
are  now  the  states  of  Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  and 
Mississippi,  were  traversed. 

The  first  man  who  crossed  the  mountains,  and 
entered  the  Ohio  Valley,  was  John  Howard,  as  early 
as  1742.  It  is  said  of  this  adventurer  that  he  sailed 
down  the  Ohio  in  a  canoe  made  of  a  buffalo-skin,  from 
its  source  to  its  mouth,  and  was  taken  a  prisoner  by 
the  French  on  the  Mississippi.  After  him  followed 
others  from  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia.  In  1748 
Conrad  Weiser  was  sent  as  an  interpreter,  with 
presents  to  the  Indians,  at  their  town  upon  the  banks 
of  the  Ohio,  between  the  head  of  the  river  and 
Beaver  Creek;  the  object  of  his  visit  was  to  open  up 
a  friendly  intercourse,  and  secure  a  trade  with  the 


THE  WEST. 


19 


Indians,  which  had  been  monopolized  by  a  set  of 
unprincipled,  half-savage  white  men.  Following  this 
movement  was  the  formation  of  companies. in  the 
east,  for  the  purpose  of  settling  the  rich,  wild  lands 
in  the  valley  of  the  Ohio.  Explorers  were  sent  out  in 
different  directions ;  and  as  the  whites  had  appropri- 
ated the  country  to  themselves,  all  that  was  necessary 
was  to  obtain  grants  from  the  Colonial  Government, 
and  run  their  lines,  and  mark  their  boundaries.  Thus 
was  the  West,  the  land  of  the  Indians,  parceled  out ; 
and  thus,  from  time  to  time,  as  it  was  visited  by  settlers, 
did  it  become  the  home  of  the  white  man.  We  shall 
have  more  to  say,  not  only  in  regard  to  the  explora- 
tion, but  the  settlement  of  the  West,  in  our  sketches. 

Upward  of  one  hundred  years  have  passed  away 
since  the  canoe  of  the  first  white  man  parted  the 
waters  of  the  Ohio.  Then  the  entire  valley,  in  all  its 
length  and  breadth,  was  occupied  by  the  Indians* 
But  now  how  changed  the  scene  ?  Where  occasionally, 
at  distant  intervals,  he  passed  an  Indian  encampment, 
whose  fires  gleamed  upon  the  midnight  waters,  as  he 
glided  noiselessly  by,  now  continuous  towns  and  cities 
dot  the  entire  margin  throughout  its  course,  and  filled 
with  their  teeming  thousands,  while  the  valley  con- 
tains its  crowding  and  ever-increasing  millions. 
Town  is  added  to  town,  and  state  is  added  to  state, 
until,  stretching  from  mountain  to  plain,  and  from 

plain  to  prairie,  and  from  prairie  to  mountain  again, 

2 


20 


PIONEEKS  OF  THE  WEST. 


and  from  the  mountain  to  the  Western  ocean,  the 
vast  tide  of  human  population  wends  its  westward 
way. 

The  history  of  the  "West  may  be  embraced  within 
the  following  periods,  each  bearing  a  particular  des- 
ignation, as  the  country  was  more  or  less  under  the 
control,  or  claimed  as  the  possession  of  the  various 
races  which  have  visited  it,  since  first  discovered  by 
the  whites :  The  occupancy  by  the  Spaniards  from 
1512  to  1819 ;  the  occupancy  by  the  French  from  1635 
to  1763 ;  the  possession  by  the  English  from  1758  to 
the  year  1778;  and  its  possession  by  the  Anglo- 
Americans,  or  citizens  of  the  United  States,  from  the 
year  1750  until  the  present  time. 


PIONEER  EXPLORERS  OF  THE  WEST.  21 


OHAPTEE  H. 

PIONEER  EXPLORERS  OF  THE  WEST. 

We  have  already  alluded  briefly  to  some  of  the  early 
explorers  of  the  West,  but  we  design  in  this  chapter 
to  enter  somewhat  more  into  detail  in  regard  to  this 
class  of  pioneers.  The  most  that  had  been  done  was 
by  a  rapid  transit  over  those  sections  of  the  country 
inhabited  by  Indians,  who  were  either  peaceful,  or 
with  whom  temporary  treaties  had  been  formed.  As 
these  Indians  reserved  the  richest  valleys  on  the  Ohio 
and  its  tributaries  for  their  hunting  grounds,  and  gen- 
erally resided  elsewhere,  there  was  a  terra  incognita 
to  the  white  man,  which  the  Indians,  from  the  knowl- 
edge already  gained  of  his  character,  were  unwilling 
they  should  find  out.  But  what  can  escape  his  anx- 
ious eagle  eye,  or  be  beyond  the  reach  of  his  covetous 
grasp  ?  More  than  even  De  Soto  beheld  in  his  gold- 
en visions,  when  the  land  of  flowers  greeted  his  eyes, 
the  eastern  settler  beheld  in  the  rich  valleys  of  the 
West. 

De  Soto  had  explored  the  South  two  hundred  years 
before,  and  had  left  the  footprints  of  stalwart  knights 


22 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


on  its  verdant  plains,  and  on  the  banks  of  its  rivers ; 
Le  Caron  had  explored  the  North,  and  blazed  his  way 
through  the  interminable  forests  which  border  the 
upper  lakes.  La  Salle  and  Marquette,  nearly  a  hun- 
dred years  later,  had  penetrated  the  northwestern 
wilds,  and  finding  the  far-off  Wisconsin,  set  sail  upon 
its  waters  in  hopes  of  finding  the  great  river  of  the 
West,  which  led  to  the  Pacific.  They  found  it,  and 
embarking  on  the  yellow  flood  of  the  Father  of  Waters, 
they  followed  its  windings,  and  passed  through  what 
are  now  the  States  of  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  Iowa,  Il- 
linois, Missouri,  Arkansas,  and  Mississippi.  Subse- 
quently, Lewis  and  Clarke  ascended  the  Missouri  to 
ascertain  its  sources ;  and  finding  them  in  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  they  scale  those  mighty  barriers,  and 
stop  not  in  their  fatiguing  journey  until,  far  away 
through  dense  forests,  where  the  white  man  had 
never  been  before,  inhabited  by  the  Nez  Perces, 
Black  Feet,  and  Flat  Head  Indians,  they  reach  the 
Columbia,  and,  embarking  on  its  waters,  find  the  ut- 
most limit  of  the  West. 

About  fifty  years,  however,  before  this  great  ex- 
ploration— when  the  valley  was  all  a  wilderness,  and 
unexplored,  with  the  exceptions  we  have  named — 
bold  and  daring  adventurers  started  out  from  the 
East,  and,  crossing  the  Alleghanies,  penetrated  the 
valley.  It  will  be  our  object  in  this  chapter  to  nar- 
rate some  of  these  adventures.    It  would  be  an  easy 


PIONEER  EXPLORERS   OF   THE  WEST.  23 

matter,  as  many  have  done  in  their  pioneer  sketches, 
to  present  vivid  pictures  of  the  West,  which,  pano- 
rama-like, unroll  before  the  mind,  without,  however, 
any  special  connection ;  but  they  lose  half  their 
interest  by  the  want  of  that  which  is  as  important 
to  satisfy  the  mind  of  the  reader,  as  it  is  necessary 
to  the  western  pilot,  on  one  of  the  broad  and  rapid 
rivers  of  the  "West,  to  have  landmarks  to  guide 
him  on  his  way.  Names  and  dates  are  quite  as  im- 
portant, in  giving  interest  to  a  narrative,  as  any 
eloquent  description  can  be,  and  we  shall  not  lose 
sight  of  connection,  either  in  the  order  of  dates  or 
events. 

The  frontiers  were  exposed  to  the  desolations  of  the 
savages ;  and  by  the  frontiers  we  mean  Pennsylvania, 
Maryland,  and  Virginia.  The  English  and  the 
French  both  had  their  allies  among  the  various 
tribes  of  Indians.  Each  were  striving  hard  to  gain 
recruits  from  the  other.  The  considerations  of  rum 
and  other  articles,  with  the  presents  and  promises  of 
the  English,  were  outdone  by  the  presents  and  polite- 
ness of  the  French ;  and,  notwithstanding  the  solemn 
treaties  which  had  been  entered  into,  they  were 
frequently  seduced  from  their  allegiance,  and  the 
French,  backed  up  by  soulless  English  traders,  gained 
many  of  the  British  allies.  In  addition  to  the  treaties 
which  had  been  formed,  another  was  entered  into 
with  the  Delawares  in  Pennsylvania.    This,  how- 


24 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


ever,  did  not  seem  to  prove  binding  upon  the 
nation.  There  were  the  Shawnees  and  Mingoes,  who 
were  still  without  even  the  show  of  any  binding  obli- 
gation to  keep  the  peace. 

A  crisis  had  arrived.  Such  was  the  state  of  the 
country,  and  the  weak,  disheartened  condition  of  the 
English,  that,  unless  they  could  overcome  the  in- 
fluence of  the  wily  Frenchman  and  the  heartless 
trader,  whose  only  love  for  the  Indian  was  to  take 
advantage  of  him,  and  cheat  him  out  of  his  skins  and 
furs — similar  to  the  love  which  the  boa  constrictor  has 
for  the  kid ;  unless  this  power  could  be  broken,  and 
the  Indians  of  the  West  gained  over,  it  was  feared 
that  the  enemy  would  gain  an  advantage  from  which 
they  would  not  be  likely  to  recover ;  but  the  question 
was,  "How  shall  it  be  done?  Who  is  adequate  to 
the  undertaking?  Whefe  shall  the  man  be  found 
possessing  the  nerve  and  daring,  the  knowledge  and 
sagacity  indispensable  to  so  great  a  task?"  The  oc- 
casion demanded  all  these,  and  more.  The  man  who 
embarked  in  this  enterprise  must  have  a  courage 
undaunted,  and  a  physical  endurance  equal  to  any 
fatigue.  His  mission  would  require  him  to  pass 
through  a  country,  which  was  then  a  howling  wil- 
derness, filled  with  hostile  foes ;  and  should  he  meet 
those  between  whom  and  his  brethren  the  tomahawk 
had  been  buried,  and  they  had  sworn  a  friendship, 
no  reliance  was  to  be  placed  upon  it,  as  the  avowed 


PIONEER  EXPLORERS  OF  THE  WEST.  27 

friends  of  yesterday  might  prove  the  bitterest  enemies 
of  to-day.  Besides,  as  we  have  already  intimated, 
the  whole  French  interest  would  be  roused  against 
him.  Every  stream  in  its  western  flow  had  been 
tinged  with  the  blood  of  the  white  man ;  every 
mountain  and  valley  had  echoed  with  the  wild  shouts 
of  war,  and  the  rude  cabins  of  the  settlers  had  been 
burned  to  the  ground.  Among  all  the  brave  and 
gallant  men  of  General  Forbes's  army,  though  they 
lacked  not  daring  and  bravery,  there  was  not  one 
who  met  the  description,  and  possessed  the  necessary 
qualifications  for  so  important  and  hazardous  an 
enterprise. 

Seventeen  years  before,  there  had  come  out  to  the 
"West  a  band  of  Moravian  missionaries,  with  a  view 
of  establishing  missions  among  the  Indians.  They 
seemed  to  have  partaken  of  the  spirit  of  their  breth- 
ren, who  had  braved  the  snows  and  icebergs  of 
Greenland,  to  bear  the  glad  tidings  to  the  natives  of 
that  desolate  shore.  Unattended  and  unarmed,  with 
the  words  of  peace  upon  their  lips,  and  the  love  of 
God  and  man  in  their  hearts,  they  pushed  their 
way  through  trackless  forests,  and  in  Western  Penn- 
sylvania had  located  a  mission.  Among  these 
missionaries  was  one  whose  name  was  Christian 
Frederic  Post.  All  eyes  were  turned  to  him  as  the 
man. 

Ten  years  before,  Conrad  Weiser  had  been  sent  on 


28 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


a  somewhat  similar  expedition  to  Logstown,  an  Indian 
village  on  tlie  Ohio,  seventeen  miles  below  Pitts- 
burgh; but  all  treaties  and  negotiations  had  failed  to 
bring  about  peace.  The  sachem  of  the  Pennsylva- 
nia savages  had  exerted  his  utmost  to  call  his  west- 
ern brethren  to  peace ;  but  they  would  not  hear  his 
voice;  their  cry  was  still  for  blood.  When  intelli- 
gence came  to  the  brave  old  warrior,  that  Post  was 
about  to  enter  upon  the  mission,  he  strongly  urged 
him  not  to  go,  as  it  would  be  of  no  use  whatever,  and 
he  would  surely  lose  his  life.  But  he  feared  not ; 
with  that  strong  faith  which  characterized  the  Mora- 
vians, mixed  with  just  enough  of  the  romantic  ele- 
ment that  entered  into  the  composition  of  the  Chris- 
tian knight,  to  give  a  spirit  of  adventure,  he  believed 
that  it  was  the  will  of  the  great  Master  that  he  should 
start  out  upon  this  errand. 

It  was  precisely  in  the  midsummer  of  1758  that 
our  Christian  hero  left  the  city  of  Philadelphia. 
Habited  as  a  hunter,  and  provided  with  the  neces- 
sary outfit  for  a  long  and  fatiguing  journey,  he  left 
the  city  of  Penn,  and  took  his  course  up  the  Sus- 
quehanna. As  he  passed  along  from  settlement  to 
settlement,  instead  of  finding  inhabitants,  all  were 
deserted;  and  the  plantations  and  cabins  presented 
nothing  but  a  scene  of  desolation.  Leaving  the  val- 
ley, he  ascended  the  mountain;  and  urging  his  way 
through  its  wild  and  unbroken  solitudes,  he  at  length, 


PIONEER   EXPLORERS   OF  THE   WEST.  29 

after  a  month's  travel,  reached  the  Alleghany  River, 
opposite  French  Creek.  He  was  now  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  enemy's  fortifications.  The  garrison  of  Fort 
Venango  was  before  him;  and  further  down  the 
stream,  at  the  junction  of  the  Alleghany  with  the 
Monongahela,  stood  intrenched  Fort  Du  Quesne, 
both  of  which  were  occupied  by  the  French,  fully 
armed,  and  stoutly  manned. 

The  former  fort  was  passed  without  detection  or 
interruption;  and  he  proceeded  on  his  journey  to 
Cuskagee,  an  Indian  town  on  Big  Beaver  Creek, 
not  far  from  a  Moravian  mission.  The  Indian  town 
contained  ninety  huts  and  two  hundred  able  war- 
riors. Here  Post  was  known  and  beloved.  His 
self-sacrificing  devotion  to  the  good  of  the  red  man 
for  years,  had  satisfied  them  that  he  sought  not  to 
advance  his  own  interests  by  coming  among  them 
and  cultivating  a  friendship,  but  his  only  aim  was 
to  do  them  good.  His  name  and  fame  had  spread 
through  many  Western  tribes,  as  "the  good  pale 
face ;"  and  Indian  mothers  taught  their  children  to 
lisp  the  name  of  Post,  the  Christian,  with  as  much 
interest  as  patriot  mothers  subsequently  taught  their 
children  to  lisp  the  name  of  Washington.  Here, 
then,  he  was  at  home,  among  his  friends.  Assem- 
bling the  chiefs,  he  opened  up  to  them — for  he 
understood  their  language,  and  was  allied  to  them 
by  marriage — his  mission.    He  described  to  them 


30 


PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


the  condition  of  the  country,  and  the  relations  which 
the  English  and  French  sustained  in  regard  to  it  ;  as 
well  as  the  distracted  state  of  the  various  Western 
tribes,  swaying  to  and  fro  in  their  allegiance  to  both 
parties,  as  cunning  or  cupidity  might  dictate. 

At  Fort  Du  Quesne  there  were  fragments  of  eight 
nations  of  Indians,  more  or  less  under  the  power  and 
influence  of  the  French;  and  the  friends  of  Post, 
brave  though  they  were,  nevertheless  had  reason  to 
fear  that  power.  Their  attachment  to  him,  however, 
was  too  great  for  them  not  to  listen  to  his  proposals 
in  regard  to  the  propriety  of  holding  a  council  with 
them.    To  test  the  matter,  Post  said  to  the  chiefs : 

"Shall  I  cross  the  river  alone,  and  enter  the  fort  of 
my  enemies?" 

"Nay,  we  will  go  with  thee,  and  carry  thee  in  our 
bosom.  Thou  needest  fear  nothing,  thou  man  of  the 
Great  Spirit." 

A  messenger,  however,  was  sent,  and  the  Indians 
at  the  fort  were  apprised  that  their  brethren  of  Cus- 
kagee  desired  to  hold  a  conference  with  them,  oppo- 
site the  fort,  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  Post 
and  the  chiefs  departed  for  the  place;  and  on  the 
last  day  of  summer  there  met  on  the  banks  of  the 
Ohio  the  representatives  from  the  different  tribes. 
Post  stated  the  object  of  the  meeting,  presenting 
everything  in  its  true  light  to  the  assembled  warriors, 
who  listened  with  great  attention  to  every  word  which 


PIONEER  EXPLORERS   OF   THE    WEST.  31 

fell  from  his  Hps,  for  he  was  not  a  stranger  to  them. 
All  seemed  disposed  to  listen  to  his  advice,  but  an  old 
Onondaga  chief  of  the  Six  Nations.  The  old  man  was 
evidently  in  liquor;  but  as  the  old  Latin  proverb  holds 
true,  in  vinum  est  Veritas^  so  he  uttered  some  truths. 
In  a  boisterous  manner  he  replied  to  Post,  exclaim- 
ing, "The  land  on  which  I  now  stand  belongs  to  the 
Six  Nations,  and  the  English  have  no  right  to  it." 

At  this  a  Delaware  advanced,  and  rebuking  the 
Onondaga,  he  said,  addressing  Post,  "That  man 
speaks  not  as  a  man.  He  endeavors  to  frighten  us 
by  saying  this  ground  is  his.  He  dreams ;  and  he 
and  his  father,  the  French,  have  certainly  drunk  too 
much  liquor;  pray,  let  them  go  to  sleep  till  they 
are  sober."  Then  turning  to  the  old  chief,  he  said : 
"You  do  not  know  what  your  own  nation  does  at 
home,  how  much  they  have  to  say  to  the  English. 
Go  to  sleep  with  your  father,  and  when  you  are 
sober  we  will  speak  to  you." 

It  was  obvious  that  the  Delawares,  and  nearly  all 
the  Western  Indians,  were  wavering  in  their  attach- 
ment for  the  French.  It  takes  not  an  Indian  long 
to  find  out  when  a  deception  is  practiced  upon  him, 
especially  when  his  suspicion  is  a  little  excited ;  and, 
when  once  deceived,  it  is  hard  to  restore  confidence. 

The  rough,  outspoken  manner  of  the  old  inebriate, 
was  the  occasion  of  awakening  in  the  minds  of  the 
Indians  present  a  remembrance  of  the  wrongs  they 


32 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


Lad  suffered,  and  the  deceptions  practiced  upon 
them  both  by  the  Eiiglish  and  French,  and,  as 
might  be  expected,  they  were  not  exactly  ready  to 
listen  to  the  proposals  even  of  the  good  Post  to  join 
the  colonies.  Some  of  them  uttered  bitter  com- 
plaints against  the  whites  for  the  disposition  they 
manifested  to  lay  their  rapacious  hands  on  all  the 
hunting  grounds. 

"  Why,"  said  one  of  them,  addressing  Post,  "  did 
you  not  fight  your  battles  at  home  or  on  the  sea, 
instead  of  coming  into  our  country  to  fight  them? 
Your  heart  is  good;  you  speak  sincerely;  but  we 
know  there  is  always  a  great  number  who  wish  to 
get  rich,  and  take  away  what  others  have.  The 
white  people  think  we  have  no  brains  in  our  heads ; 
that  they  are  big,  and  we  a  little  handful;  but, 
remember,  when  you  hunt  for  a  rattle-snake  you 
cannot  find  it,  and  perhaps  it  will  bite  you  before 
you  see  it." 

Post,  however,  was  not  discouraged,  but  labored 
on,  using  every  honorable  means  in  his  power,  with- 
out resorting  to  any  false  promises,  to  convince  them 
that  it  would  be  to  their  advantage  to  form  a  union 
with  the  colonies.  Besides,  the  army  of  General 
Forbes  was  approaching  Du  Quesne,  and  the  strong 
probability  was,  from  the  weakened  condition  of  the 
fort,  that  it  would  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  English. 
They  were  at  length  won  by  the  sincerity  and  kind- 


PIONEER   EXPLORERS   OF   THE   WEST.  33 

ness  of  Post,  and  a  definite  peace  was  concluded 
between  the  various  Western  tribes  there  represented 
and  the  English. 

Leaving  the  treaty  ground,  he  started  homeward, 
and,  after  suffering  incredible  perils  from  French 
scouts  and  hostile  Indians,  Post  at  length  reached  the 
settlements  uninjured. 

But  his  work  was  not  done.  The  French  had  de- 
stroyed and  deserted  Du  Quesne,  and  had  proceeded 
to  lower  posts  down  the  Ohio.  Washington  was  urg- 
ing his  way  through  the  wilderness,  and  opening  a 
road  to  the  Fork  of  the  Ohio,  advancing  at  the  rate 
of  from  four  to  eight  miles  a  day.  In  the  mean  time 
a  treaty  had  been  held  with  the  Eight  United  Na- 
tions at  Easton.  Still  there  was  a  powerful  body  who 
were  opposed  to  the  English,  and  these  must  be  con- 
ciliated. Post  accordingly  starts  out  again  for  the 
Ohio.  Following  in  the  track  of  Forbes's  army,  he 
finally  overtook  it,  and  receiving  messages  from  the 
general  to  the  West,  he  traveled  on  to  bear  the  news 
of  the  treaty  to  the  distant  tribes.  Being  successful 
in  finding  them,  he  laid  before  the  chiefs  his  plans 
and  proposals.  The  result  was,  that  he  was  again 
fortunate  in  preventing  them  from  joining  the  French, 
which  they  were  just  on  the  eve  of  doing,  and  had 
arranged  their  plans  to  waylay  Forbes  and  his  army. 
Through  his  services  the  key  to  the  Western  world 
was  secured  to  the  colonies,  and  an  advantage  was 


34 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


gained  in  this  respect,  over  French  and  Indians,  that 
was  never  afterward  lost. 

Though  the  Ohio  Indians  had  been  gained  over  to 
the  English,  there  were  tribes  bordering  on  the  lakes, 
such  as  the  Wyandots,  Ottawas,  and  Chippewas, 
who  adhered  to  the  French.  It  was  important  that 
they  should  be  visited,  and,  accordingly,  Major  Rog- 
ers— Post  having  gone  on  a  religious  mission  among 
the  Indians  on  the  Muskingum — was  sent  out  on  the 
expedition.  Detroit  was  given  to  his  charge.  In 
September,  1760,  he  left  Montreal,  and  passing  up 
Lake  Erie  to  that  place,  he  demanded  a  surrender. 
While  waiting  for  an  answer,  Pontiac,  the  Ottawa 
chief,  visited  him,  and  in  a  bold,  defiant  manner, 
asked  "  how  the  English  dared  to  enter  his  country." 
The  reply  was,  that  "  they  only  came  to  put  out  the 
French  and  open  up  a  trade."  This  quieted  the  spirit 
of  the  brave  chief,  and  he  departed.  The  fort  was 
finally  taken,  and  Rogers  received  no  little  assistance 
from  Pontiac.  Leaving  the  position  fortified,  he  start- 
ed out  on  an  exploring  expedition.  Crossing  the 
lake,  he  entered  what  is  now  the  State  of  Ohio,  at 
the  point  where  Sandusky  city  now  stands.  From 
thence  he  crossed  the  Huron  River  to  Mohiccan 
town  on  the  Mohiccan  Creek,  a  branch  of  "White 
Woman.  From  thence  he  went  to  Beaver  town,  op- 
posite Sandy  Creek.  At  this  town  there  were  one 
hundred  and  eighty  warriors,  and  thousands  of  acres 


PIONEER  EXPLORERS  OF   THE  WEST.  35 


of  cleared  land.  From  this  point  he  proceeded  up 
Sandy  Creek,  crossed  the  Big  Beaver,  and  went  up 
the  Ohio  through  Logstown  to  Fort  Pitt.  This  was 
the  first  journey  by  a  white  man  through  Ohio. 

The  year  following,  Alexander  Henry,  an  English 
trader,  went  to  the  straits  of  Mackinaw,  and  finding 
among  the  Indians  great  hostility  to  the  English,  he 
assumed  the  garb  of  a  Canadian,  and  reached  his  des- 
tination in  safety.  It  was  not  long,  however,  until 
his  speech  betrayed  him,  and  he  was  visited  by  Pon- 
tiac,  who,  deceived  by  English  promises,  had  become 
enraged. 

Addressing  Henry  he  said,  "Englishman!  You 
have  conquered  the  French,  but  you  have  not  con- 
quered us !  We  are  not  your  slaves !  These  lakes, 
these  woods,  these  mountains,  were  left  to  us  by  our 
ancestors.  They  are  our  inheritance,  and  we  will 
part  with  them  to  none.  Your  nation  supposes  that 
we,  like  the  white  people,  cannot  live  without  bread, 
and  pork,  and  beef.  But  you  ought  to  know  that 
He,  die  Great  Spirit  and  Master  of  Life,  has  provided 
food  for  us  upon  these  broad  lakes  and  in  these  mount- 
ains." 

A  few  years  prior  to  this,  Christopher  Gist  was 
Kent  out,  by  the  Ohio  Company,  to  explore  the  Mia- 
mi River.  Like  Howard  and  others,  he  did  not  pass 
t]  trough  the  country,  but  descended  the  Ohio.  "When 
be  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  Miami,  he  ascended 


36 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


that  river  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  Loraimie  Creek,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  the  Ohio  River,  where 
a  trading  house  was  built  for  the  purpose  of  carrying 
on  a  traffic  with  the  Miami  Indians.  In  this  tour  he 
also  descended  the  Ohio  as  far  as  the  Falls.  He  also 
entered  Virginia,  and  surveyed  a  tract  of  land  east 
of  the  Kanawha,  and,  in  company  with  General  An- 
drew Lewis,  made  some  surveys  in  the  Greenbrier 
country. 

A  history  is  connected  with  each  one  of  these 
adventurous  pioneers  full  of  thrilling  interest;  but 
we  have  only  space  to  call  up  their  names,  and  allude 
to  their  explorations. 

In  the  year  1766,  during  the  first  month  of  sum- 
mer, there  started  out  from  Carolina  a  pioneer  by 
the  name  of  James  Smith.  Having  received  the 
intelligence  that  the  king's  agent,  to  whom  was 
intrusted  the  affairs  of  government  with  the  Indians, 
had  purchased  from  them  all  the  lands  west  of  the 
Appalachian  chain,  extending  from  the  Ohio  to  the 
Cherokee  Rivers,  and  knowing  from  the  Indians,  with 
whom  he  was  able  to  converse  in  their  own  tongue, 
that  many  portions  of  this  country  were  exceedingly 
rich  and  valuable,  he  concluded  to  take  a  tour  of 
exploration.  His  plan  becoming  known  to  his 
neighbors,  several  of  them  determined  on  accom- 
panying him  to  the  El  Dorado  of  the  West.  The 
company  was  composed,  besides  himself,  of  Joshua 


PIONEER  EXPLORERS  OF  THE   WEST,  37 

Horton — who  took  with  him  a  mulatto  slave,  a  boy 
eighteen  years  old — Uriah  Stone,  and  William  Baker. 
They  proceeded  to  the  Holston  River,  and  from 
thence  they  struck  out  in  a  westward  direction. 
They  explored  the  country  south  of  Kentucky, 
and  saw  not  in  all  their  travels  the  slightest  sign 
indicating  the  presence  of  a  white  man.  They 
were  the  first  white  explorers  of  this  wilderness. 
They  explored  the  Cumberland  and  Tennessee 
Rivers  from  Stone's  River — a  branch  of  the  Cum- 
berland, named  after  one  of  the  party — down  to 
the  mouth. 

"When  they  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee 
River,  Smith's  fellow-travelers  concluded  to  strike 
into  "the  Illinois,"  for  the  purpose  of  finding  out  the 
quality  of  the  land,  which  the  Indians  represented 
as  being  exceeding  rich  and  beautifully  rolling.  He, 
however,  concluded  that  he  had  been  away  long- 
enough  from  his  wife  and  children,  and,  fearing  lest 
they  should  become  uneasy  about  him,  and  imagine 
that  he  had  been  killed  by  the  Indians,  resolved  to 
return  home.  The  party  furnished  him  with  the 
greatest  part  of  their  ammunition,  and  Horton  gave 
him  the  loan  of  his  colored  boy  to  keep  him  com- 
pany. Sending  his  horse  with  his  companions 
to  Illinois,  it  being  difficult  to  take  one  through 
the  mountains,  he  started  out  on  his  homeward 
journey. 

3 


38 


PIONEEKS  OF  THE  WEST. 


After  traveling  eight  days,  he  accidentally  trod 
on  a  sharp  cane,  with  which  the  region  abounded, 
and  his  foot  was  so  wounded  with  it  that  it  soon 
began  to  swell,  and  pained  him  so  much  that  he 
was  unable  to  walk.  His  condition  can  be  better 
imagined  than  described.  He  was  in  a  dense  wil- 
derness, hundreds  of  miles  from  human  habitation, 
his  ammunition  nearly  exhausted,  and  no  one  to 
give  him  any  assistance  but  his  negro  boy,  Jim. 
Besides,  he  knew  not  what  moment  he  might  be 
attacked  by  the  savages.  But  who  ever  knew  a 
pioneer  hunter  to  despair?  Something  must  be 
done,  and  done  speedily,  to  give  him  relief,  for  the 
swelling  was  increasing,  and  with  it  the  pain.  He 
had  no  surgical  instruments,  and,  if  he  had,  he 
would  scarcely  have  known  how  to  use  them. 
He  accordingly  took  his  knife,  and  cutting  away 
the  flesh  as  well  as  he  could,  he  inserted  his  moc- 
casin awl  into  the  wound,  and,  exposing  the  cane 
spike,  he  ordered  Jim  to  take  the  bullet-mold, 
which  he  made  answer  for  pincers,  and  extract  it, 
which  he  did,  much  to  the  joy  of  the  hunter.  He 
then  ordered  Jim  to  search  for  some  Indian  medi- 
cine, directing  him  to  get  some  bark  from  a  linn- 
tree,  and  pound  it  on  a  stone  with  the  tomahawk, 
and  boil  it  in  the  kettle  which  they  carried  with 
them.  "With  this  decoction  he  bathed  his  foot,  and 
the  bark  answered  as  a  poultice,  which  he  bound  up 


PIONEER  EXPLORERS   OF  THE  WEST.  39 

with  moss,  having  no  linen,  and  bandaged  it  with 
elm  bark.  By  this  means  the  swelling  greatly 
abated,  but  still  he  was  unable  to  walk. 

In  the  midst  of  his  misfortunes  stormy  weather 
set  in,  and  it  became  necessary  to  have  a  shelter. 
Jim  was  accordingly  ordered  to  cut  forks  and  poles, 
and  cover  them  over  with  cane  tops,  like  a  fodder- 
house.  The  place  where  Smith  lay  was  about  one 
hundred  yards  from  a  great  buffalo  road,  and,  as 
they  were  out  of  provisions,  one  day  Smith  ordered 
Jim  to  take  the  gun,  and  following  him  on  his 
hands  and  knees,  he  succeeded  in  reaching  it,  con- 
cealing himself  near  the  track.  It  was  not  long  until 
a  herd  came  along,  and  he  fired  and  killed  one  of 
the  fattest.  The  buffalo  was  dressed ;  and  while  the 
lean  part  served  for  jerk,  the  fat  part  was  reserved 
to  cook  it  with,  as  occasion  might  require. 

While  lying  ,  in  this  lonesome  and  helpless  condi- 
tion, the  pioneer  was  not  without  some  comfort. 
He  was  a  religious  man,  and  had  taken  with  him  a 
Psalm  Book,  and  a  work  entitled  "Watts  on  Prayer." 
In  his  musings  about  his  condition,  and  the  loved 
ones  at  home,  he  became  melancholy;  but  his 
melancholy,  as  is  often  the  case,  took  a  poetic  turn, 
and  while  by  his  adventure  he  secured  the  name 
of  being  the  first  explorer  of  that  region,  may  not 
his  poetic  effusions  entitle  him  to  the  sobriquet  of 
the  Pioneer  Poet  ?    His  verses  ran  thus : 


40 


PIONEEKS 


OF 


THE  WEST. 


"  Six  weeks  I've  in  this  desert  been, 

With  one  mulatto  lad ; 
Excepting  this  poor  stupid  slave, 

No  company  I  had. 

u  In  solitude  I  here  remain, 

A  cripple  very  sore  ; 
No  friend  or  neighbor  to  be  found, 

My  case  for  to  deplore. 

14  I'm  far  from  home,  far  from  the  wife 

Which  in  my  bosom  lay ; 
Far  from  the  children  dear  which  used 

Around  me  for  to  play. 

"  This  doleful  circumstance  cannot 

My  happiness  prevent ; 
While  peace  of  conscience  I  enjoy, 

Great  comfort  and  content." 


One  cannot  help  being  reminded,  on  reading  this, 
of  a  certain  metrical  version  of  David's  Psalms,  sung 
by  certain  denominations,  who  abominate  the  Hymns 
of  "Watts,  "Wesley,  and  others,  as  they  do  the  seven- 
headed  and  ten-horned  beast  of  the  Apocalypse.  It 
sonnds,  however,  much  like  the  early  poetry  of  the 
"West.  What  it  lacks  in  strict  poetic  requirement, 
it  makes  up  in  sense  and  sentiment.  Specimens 
of  pioneer  poetry  would  make  a  rich  chapter.  But 
we  must  return.  Smith  continued  "a  cripple  very 
sore"  for  some  time;  but  his  foot  gradually  became 


PIONEER  EXPLORERS  OF  THE  WEST.  41 

better,  and  lie  was  finally  enabled  to  get  about  pretty 
well  on  crutches.  Being  so  near  the  buffalo  road, 
he  feared  being  surprised  by  the  Indians  who  might 
be  passing;  and,  considering  prudence  the  better 
part  of  valor,  he  struck  his  tent  and  removed  further 
off.  He  was  afraid  to  enter  upon  his  journey  until 
his  foot  was  entirely  well,  or  nearly  so,  lest  traveling 
should  inflame  it,  and  nothing  would  be  gained.  In 
this  he  acted  wisely.  His  next  game  was  an  elk, 
which  he  shot  from  his  camp. 

After  remaining  a  few  weeks  longer  he  started 
again  for  home,  which,  after  a  fatiguing  journey, 
he  reached,  much  to  his  own  happiness,  and  that  of 
his  family  and  friends,  who  had  given  him  and  his 
party  up  as  lost.  He  had  been  in  the  wilderness 
eleven  months,  during  three  of  which  he  saw  no 
human  being  but  Jim,  his  companion.  When  he 
reached  the  settlements  his  few  remaining  clothes 
were  in  rags,  and  Jim  had  "nothing  on  him  that 
ever  was  spun."  He  was  dressed  in  buckskin  leg- 
gins  and  moccasins,  and  a  bearskin,  dressed  with  the 
hair  on,  which  was  belted  around  him,  and  a  raccoon- 
skin  cap.  So  strange  and  wonderful  was  the  simple 
story  Smith  told  his  friends  and  neighbors  of  his 
travels,  and  the  distance  he  had  been  from  home, 
that  no  one  believed  him;  and,  as  if  he  had  not 
suffered  enough,  he  was  taken  into  custody,  and  put 
under  guard  on  the  charge  of  being  crazy. 


42 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


About  two  years  after  this  wonderful  adventure 
another  expedition  set  out  from  North  Carolina. 
They  were  traders,  seeking  the  Cherokees  and  other 
Southern  Indians,  with  whom  they  had  carried  on  a 
traffic  for  many  years.  Their  course,  however,  was 
diverted  from  the  South,  and  they  took  a  northern 
direction,  upon  what  was  called  the  Warrior's  Road. 
This  road  led  from  Cumberland  Ford,  along  the 
broken  country  lying  on  the  eastern  branch  of  the 
Kentucky  River,  and  from  thence  across  the  Licking 
and  Ohio,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto  River.  This 
Indian  war-path  formed  a  communication  between 
the  Northern  and  Southern  Indians.  On  some  point 
along  its  course,  John  Finley,  in  17 67,  opened  a  trad- 
ing post  with  the  red  men,  north  of  the  Ohio,  who  met 
him  there,  at  certain  seasons,  to  exchange  their  skins 
for  such  articles  as  they  needed.  This  daring  pioneer 
trader  was  the  first  man  to  traverse  Kentucky  to  the 
Ohio  River,  carrying  his  goods  and  merchandise 
along  with  his  rifle. 

The  valleys  of  the  Holston,  Clinch,  and  New 
Rivers,  contained  a  number  of  families,  among 
whom  were  some  bold,  adventurous  hunters.  For 
the  purpose  of  exploring  the  country  more  fully,  Col- 
onel James  Knox  succeeded  in  enlisting  thirty-nine 
men,  as  a  company,  to  be  governed  by  certain  rules 
in  their  explorations.  Their  object  was  not  only  to 
chase  the  bufialo  and  the  Indians,  but  to  find  out 


PIONEER   EXPLORERS    OF   THE   WEST.  43 

the  localities  of  the  country  in  the  region  of  the 
Cumberland. 

Nine  men  out  of  this  party  resolved  to  cross  the 
mountains,  and  penetrate  the  wilderness  beyond. 
They  accordingly  did  so,  and  all  the  region  on 
the  borders  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  was  visited 
by  them.  They  were  so  long  absent  on  their  tour 
of  exploration,  that  the  party  was  ever  after  desig- 
nated, in  the  traditions  of  the  West,  as  the  "Long 
Hunters."  While  they  were  traversing  the  valley, 
other  daring  spirits  from  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania, 
fired  with  Western  enterprise,  penetrated  the  valley 
of  the  Ohio.  Among  the  number  of  these  adven- 
turers was  the  world-renowned  George  Washington, 
who,  among  the  pioneers  as  among  the  soldiers  of  the 
West,  was  the  first  and  best.  He  had  in  his  posses- 
sion large  claims  of  land,  and  his  fruitful  mind  had 
revolved  far-reaching  plans  of  settlement  for  the  great- 
valley.  He  was  aware  of  the  fertility  of  the  lands  along 
the  Ohio,  and  he  could  have  made  the  selection  with- 
out the  toil  and  hazard  of  the  journey;  but  he  was 
resolved  to  look  upon  them  with  his  own  eyes,  and 
select  them  according  to  his  own  judgment.  The 
surveys  made  by  Washington  were  mostly  confined 
to  the  lands  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Kanawha  River. 

In  the  year  1774  James  Harrod  entered  Kentucky, 
and,  after  making  many  explorations,  he  resolved  to 
take  up  his  abode  there.   Other  hunters  and  explorers 


44 


PIONEERS    OF   THE  WEST. 


had  come  and  gone,  leaving  no  trace  of  civiliza- 
tion behind  them.  So  exciting  were  the  scenes  of 
every-day  life,  that  they  had  no  time  to  remain  long 
in  one  spot,  and  no  desire  to  fix  for  themselves  a  local 
habitation.  The  place  where  they  camped  one  night 
might  be  fifty  miles  distant  on  the  return  of  the  suc- 
ceeding night.  Like  the  children  of  Israel  in  the 
desert,  though  they  might  cross  and  recross  their 
own  path  a  hundred  times,  they  never  pitched  their 
tents  in  the  same  locality.  But  Harrod  opened  a 
new  era  for  Kentucky.  He  erected  a  log  cabin,  the 
first  ever  reared  in  the  valley  of  the  Ohio.  It  was 
situated  on  a  spot  of  ground  where  the  town  of 
Harrodsburg  now  stands.  It  was  emphatically  the 
pioneer  cabin;  and  standing,  as  it  did,  alone  in  the 
wilderness,  it  became  the  type  of  the  early  habita- 
tions of  the  settlers  of  the  "West. 

The  year  previous  to  Harrod's  location,  Thomas 
Bullit,  in  company  with  two  brothers  by  the  name 
of  M'Afee,  and  the  following-named  persons,  Duen- 
non,  Hancock,  and  Taylor,  descended  the  Ohio  as  far 
as  the  Kentucky  River,  where  they  separated,  part 
of  them  going  up  that  river  for  the  purpose  of  ex- 
ploring its  banks.  In  their  tour  they  made  some 
important  surveys,  including  the  valley  in  which  the 
city  of  Frankfort,  the  capital  of  the  state,  now  stands* 
The  other  portion  continued  on  down  the  Ohio  as  far  as 
the  Falls,  where  they  laid  out  the  town  of  Louisville. 


THE  HUNTERS 


OF  THE  WEST. 


47 


CHAPTER  m. 

THE  HUNTERS  OF  THE  WEST. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century,  a  stern 
and  sturdy  yeoman  from  England,  who,  with  others, 
sought  a  home  in  America,  landed  upon  these  shores. 
The  place  he  had  selected  as  his  home  in  the  new 
world,  was  in  the  state  of  Pennsylvania.  He  had 
been  blessed  with  a  large  family,  consisting  of  nine 
sons  and  ten  daughters.  All,  however,  were  trained 
to  industry,  and  it  was  not  many  years  before  the 
father  had  acquired  a  large  plantation,  and  saw  his 
sons  and  daughters,  one  after  another,  happily  mar- 
ried and  settled  in  life.  One  of  his  sons,  to  whom  he 
gave  the  quaint  title  of  "Squire,"  married  a  young 
woman  in  the  neighborhood ;  but,  as  is  frequently  the 
case,  he  thought  he  could  better  his  condition  by 
leaving  the  shadow  of  home,  and,  accordingly,  he  re- 
moved to  a  different  part  of  the  state.  He,  also,  in 
process  of  time,  was  blessed  with  a  numerous  progeny. 
Among  the  number  of  sons  that  grew  up  with  the 
rest  of  the  children,  like  olive  plants  around  his  table, 
was  one  who  seemed  to  have  inherited  more  of  the 


48 


PIONEERS  OF   THE  WEST. 


spirit  of  his  enterprising  father,  than  the  other  boys, 
and  on  this  account,  perhaps,  he  was  looked  upon  with 
rather  more  favor  than  the  rest.  "When  this  favored 
boy  was  quite  young,  his  father  removed  to  a  still 
more  distant  region. 

To  a  child  in  that  period  of  our  country's  history, 
the  name  of  an  Indian  was  almost  as  familiar  as  the 
name  of  any  domestic  animal  to  the  children  of  the 
present  day ;  but  it  produced  quite  different  sensations. 
The  boy  became  accustomed,  as  he  grew  up,  to  all  the 
scenes  and  incidents  of  a  backwoods  life,  and  early 
became  inured  to  its  toils  and  hardships.  He  was 
not,  like  many  children  of  the  present  day,  sent  to 
school  as  soon  as  he  could  walk,  and  shut  up  in  a 
close  room,  with  his  book  in  his  hand,  and  a  rod  in 
terrorem  hanging  over  him,  if  he  did  not  exhaust  his 
little  brain  in  mastering  his  lesson.  Neither  was  his 
mind  or  body  dwarfed  by  such  a  training,  but,  left  to 
breathe  the  pure  air  of  the  woods,  and  to  study  nature 
in  spelling  out  of  "  the  brooks,  and  stones,  and  trees," 
his  lessons  of  instruction,  it  may  readily  be  conjectur- 
ed that  he  developed  both  a  mind  and  body  suited  to 
the  times  in  which  he  lived. 

The  boy  thus  reared  became  a  bold  and  daring 
youth,  and  having  learned  the  use  of  the  rifle,  he 
often  started  out  alone  on  a  hunt  through  the  forests. 
Many  romantic  stories  are  told  of  the  hunter  boy ;  but 
as  there  are  reliable  facts  enough  connected  with  his 


THE  HUNTERS  OF  THE  WEST.  49 

history,  to  make  the  truth  itself  stranger  than  fiction, 
it  is  not  necessary  to  embellish  our  narrative  with  any 
imaginative  descriptions. 

The  father  had  heard  rumors  of  richer  lands  and 
better  hunting  grounds  in  the  far-off  Southwest,  and 
his  enterprising  spirit  prompted  him  to  start  out  in 
quest  of  them.  It  was  not  long  until  he  disposed  of 
his  possessions  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Schuylkill, 
and,  taking  his  family,  started  on  pilgrimage  for 
the  Canaan.  After  crossing  over  the  states  of  Mary- 
land and  Virginia,  the  adventurous  family  found 
themselves  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Yadkin,  a  river 
which  rises  among  the  mountains,  forming  the  west- 
ern boundary  of  North  Carolina,  where  they  found  a 
wild  and  romantic  scenery,  possessing  charms  to  the 
eye  of  a  pioneer  hunter  and  his  family,  yet  only  such 
as  would  now  be  sought,  out  of  mere  necessity,  by  an 
invalid  denizen  of  some  of  our  pent-up  cities. 

The  youth  had  come  to  manhood;  full,  vigorous 
manhood.  In  all  that  wild  region  he  had  no  superior 
for  strength  of  muscle,  fleetness  of  foot,  or  skill  with 
the  rifle.  He  had  grown  up  in  the  woods,  and  un- 
derstood all  its  mysteries.  He  felt  as  much  at  home 
in  the  midst  of  bears,  and  wolves,  and  panthers,  as 
Van  Amburg  with  his  lions,  though  they  were  as  un- 
tamed as  the  wilderness  in  which  they  roamed. 
None  had  penetrated  the  mountain  fastnesses  which 
separated  the  settlements  from  the  wild,  unknown  re- 


50 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


gion  beyond,  farther  than  he.  Wild  as  had  become 
his  nature,  from  the  associations  by  which  he  was 
surrounded,  and  much  as  he  loVed  solitude,  a  period 
arrived  in  his  history,  when  a  new  and  strange  feeling 
took  possession  of  his  heart.  He  was  in  love;  a 
beautiful  black-eyed  damsel,  fleet  and  pure  as  the 
roe  of  the  mountain,  had  stolen  his  affections ;  and 
though  the  poet  makes  Adam  to  feel  that  Eden  would 
have  been  a  wilderness  without  woman,  he  felt  that 
his  wilderness  would  become  an  Eden  with  one.  As 
"  the  brave  deserve  the  fair,"  so  he  wooed  and  won, 
and,  erecting  a  cabin,  entered  upon  the  sweets  of 
home. 

Time  passed  on,  and  the  inviting  country  attracted 
other  settlers;  the  area  of  improvement  increased, 
and  the  cabin  sent  up  its  curling  smoke  in  valley 
and  glen,  and  on  the  mountain  side.  The  hunter 
became  restless  and  uneasy,  if  not  unhappy.  It 
was  not  that  he  coveted  the  possessions  of  others, 
or  that  he  was  unwilling  others  should  enjoy  like 
advantages  with  himself ;  but  he  loved  a  broad 
range,  and  preferred  being  alone  with  his  family 
in  the  woods,  out  of  sight  of  the  smoke  of  other 
cabins,  and  the  crack  of  other  rifles.  On  one  of 
his  mountain  rambles  he  met  a  hunter  returning 
from  the  West,  laden  with  the  rich  products  of  the 
unknown  land.  He  had  been  the  first  to  penetrate 
its  wilds,  and,  like  one  of  the  spies  sent  over  from 


THE   HUNTERS  OP  THE   WEST.  51 

the  encampment  of  Israel  to  Canaan,  lie  was  re- 
turning with  a  proof  of  its  richness  as  a  hunter's 
paradise.  This  was  enough  to  convince  the  ambi- 
tious hunter,  without  listening  to  the  marvelous 
stories  which  he  told  of  the  far-off  Kentucky.  Nor 
did  it  take  much  urging,  on  the  part  of  the  returned 
hunter,  to  induce  him  to  accompany  him  on  his 
next  tour.  Nothing  could  have  been  more  oppor- 
tune, or  better  suited  to  his  feelings.  Accordingly, 
after  making  the  necessary  provision  for  his  wife 
and  children — for  these  pledges  of  love  were  to  be 
found  in  his  cabin — he  departed  with  his  com- 
panions, consisting  of  five  besides  himself,  all  his 
neighbors  and  friends.  In  the  course  of  time  they 
reached  the  long-desired  land,  and  when  their  eyes 
rested  upon  it,  they  said  "  the.  half  had  not  been  told 
them."  It  was  in  the  spring  of  the  year.  The  ver- 
dant plain  was  covered  with  flowers  of  every  hue. 
The  myriad  trees  spread  out  their  leaves  and  blos- 
soms. Wild  beasts  of  all  kinds  roamed  the  forests,  and 
herds  of  buffalo,  more  numerous  than  the  cattle  in  the 
settlements,  not  fearing  because  not  knowing  the  vio- 
lence of  the  white  man,  were  grazing  on  the  herbage. 

Here  our  hunter  had  all  that  heart  could  wish, 
and  all  he  wanted  to  complete  the  sum  of  his 
highest  joys,  was  the  presence  of  his  wife  and 
children.  After  remaining  for  six  months,  an  un- 
pleasant incident  occurred.    He  and  one  of  his 


52 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


companions,  being  out  one  day  on  a  hunting  excur- 
sion, were  surprised  and  taken  captive  by  a  party 
of  Indians  who  had  been  hatching  their  move- 
ments, and  sprung  upon  them  when  they  were 
entirely  off  their  guard,  enjoying  a  pleasant  re- 
laxation in  conversation  about  home.  The  Indians 
bound  them,  and  took  them  to  their  camps,  in  a 
dense  cane-brake,  with  which  portions  of  that  region 
abounded.  Here  they  continued  in  captivity  for 
seven  days,  in  all  which  time  they  were  treated 
with  savage  barbarity. 

It  was  now  mid-winter,  and  at  night  the  Indians 
would  sleep  around  a  large  fire.  The  captives, 
knowing  that  if  they  manifested  no  desire  to  escape, 
the  Indians  would  be  less  watchful,  and,  therefore, 
the  probabilities  of  their  escape  increased,  affected 
no  concern  whatever  about  their  condition,  keeping 
always  close  by  the  more  watchful  of  the  Indians. 
On  the  seventh  night,  as  our  captives  lay  side  by 
side  in  the  midst  of  their  swarthy  enemies,  the  -one 
who  was  the  most  vigilant  touching  the  other, 
being  assured  that  all  were  locked  fast  in  sleep,  they 
rose  noiselessly  and  left  the  camp.  They  imme- 
diately directed  their  course  toward  their  own 
camp,  in  hopes  of  finding  their  companions;  but 
what  was  their  surprise,  on  arriving,  to  find  it 
plundered  and  their  companions  gone ! 

Having  remained  so  long  in  the  wilderness,  it 


THE  HUNTERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


53 


was  feared  by  the  wife  and  father  of  the  daring 
hunter  that  he  was  killed,  and  so  anxious  did  they 
become  about  him,  that  a  younger  brother  and  a 
companion  resolved  on  going  after  him;  and  if 
they  could  not  find  him,  it  would  at  least  be  a 
comfort  to  learn  some  tidings  of  his  fate.  After 
scouring  the  country,  they  at  length  found  his  camp, 
and  rejoiced  to  meet  him  once  more  alive.  A  few 
days  after  this,  the  hunter  who  had  been  in  cap- 
tivity with  him  was  slain  by  the  Indians;  and 
the  man  who  accompanied  his  brother,  becoming 
alarmed  for  his  own  safety,  returned  home.  But, 
alas !  that  home  he  never  reached.  Without  a 
guide,  though  a  hunter,  and  somewhat  skilled  in 
picking  his  way  through  a  wilderness,  he  was  now 
in  a  region  unknown  and  untenanted  by  man. 
Either  in  the  tangled  thicket,  or  on  the  mountain 
wild,  he  had  been  able  to  direct  his  course  in  all 
his  hunting  rambles  hitherto;  but  now,  sad  to  re- 
late, he  became  bewildered,  and,  losing  all  his 
reckoning,  that  horrid  state  of  mind  which  only 
those  can  understand  who  have  realized  it,  took 
possession  of  him,  and  he  wandered  about,  not 
knowing  whither  he  was  going,  like  one  bereft  of 
reason.  He  was  lost !  lost  in  the  wilderness.  How 
long  he  wandered  none  could  tell.  It  is  supposed 
that  he  supplied  himself  with  provisions  as  long 
as  his  ammunition  lasted,  and  when  that  failed  he 


54 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


lived  on  whatever  he  could  find  to  eat,  until  he 
eventually  perished  for  want  of  food.  Many  months 
afterward  his  bones  were  found,  in  all  probability 
on  the  very  spot  where  he  breathed  out  his  worn 
and  weary  spirit  to  its  God. 

The  two  brothers  were  now  alone,  all  but  they 
having  left.  The  winter  was  rapidly  approaching, 
and  it  was  necessary  that  its  rigors  should  be  pro- 
vided against.  Accordingly  a  camp  was  made, 
covered  with  cane  and  moss,  and  made  weather- 
proof. It  was  not  necessary  to  lay  in  provisions,  as 
the  kind  upon  which  they  depended,  and,  in  fact,  all 
the  kind  that  could  be  had,  was  to  be  found  in  the 
woods  in  great  abundance ;  perhaps  greater  in  win- 
ter than  summer.  The  brothers  were  busily  engaged, 
when  not  hunting,  in  making  up  their  dressed  skins 
into  hunting  shirts,  moccasins,  and  breeches.  They 
had  no  time  for  idleness  ;  and  as  it  was  necessary 
they  should  keep  a  watchful  look-out  for  the  Indians, 
who  might  find  their  camp,  and  come  upon  them, 
they  never  became  listless  and  apathetic.  Thus  the 
winter  was  passed,  and  spring  returned ;  but  with  it  the 
certainty,  which  became  every  day  more  apparent,  that 
they  must  return  to  the  settlements,  as  their  ammuni- 
tion was  nearly  exhausted.  Between  them  and  home 
intervened  five  hundred  miles  of  wilderness,  in  which 
there  was  no  human  being  but  the  Indian.  It  was 
concluded,  however,  that  the  return  of  one  for  fresh 


THE  HUNTERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


55 


supplies  would  answer  as  well  as  that  of  both  ;  and  it 
was  agreed  that  the  younger  should  return.  Much 
as  the  elder  desired  to  see  his  wife  and  children,  still 
he  thought  it  better  to  remain,  not  only  with  a  view 
of  adding  to  his  stock  of  skins  and  furs,  but  of  obtain- 
ing a  kind  of  preemption  right  to  the  rich  and  fertile 
country  which  he  had  explored.  Besides,  he  was  not 
only  more  accustomed  to  the  wilderness  than  his 
brother,  but  he  loved  the  solitude  of  the  desert,  and 
never  felt  lonesome  while  left  to  communings  with 
nature  and  nature's  God.  At  length  the  parting 
words  were  spoken,  and  every  setting  sun  removed 
them  farther  and  farther  from  each  other's  presence. 

Three  months  had  passed  away,  and  summer, 
with  its  fruits  and  flowers,  gladdened  the  eye  of  the 
hunter;  but  more  joyous  to  him  than  all  other  sights 
— though  natural  scenes  were  always  to  him  full  of 
enchantment — was  the  return  of  his  brother,  with 
two  horses  laden  with  every  article  necessary  for 
life  in  the  woods,  and  plenty  of  ammunition,  the  most 
important  of  all  supplies.  But  above  and  beyond 
all,  the  brother  brought  with  him  glad  tidings  from 
home — intelligence  of  the  health  and  happiness  of 
his  beloved  wife  and  children — which  thrilled  the 
hunter's  heart  with  indescribable  emotions  of  joy. 
Having  horses,  and  being  thus  newly  fitted  out  for 
exploration,  they  started  out  to  make  further  dis- 
coveries.   Leaving  the  Kentucky,  they  explored  the 

4 


56 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


Cumberland  and  Green  Rivers ;  and  for  a  period  of 
eight  months,  on  their  fleet  horses,  they  scoured  the 
country  without  being  once, attacked  by  the  Indians, 
or  meeting  a  single  white  man  in  all  their  journeys. 
Having  satisfied  their  curiosity,  they  returned  to  the 
Kentucky  River,  finding  no  section  more  desirable  in 
which  to  make  a  permanent  location,  or  which  they 
would  prefer  as  a  home.  Having,  therefore,  fully  set- 
tled the  question  in  regard  to  locality,  the  brothers 
concluded  to  return  home,  which  they  did,  greatly  to 
the  joy  of  the  dwellers  on  the  Yadkin. 

The  elder  had  now  been  absent  for  nearly  three 
years.  Of  those  who  started  with  him  to  that  far-off 
land,  none  but  himself  returned ;  and  well  might  he 
feel  confirmed  in  the  sentiment,  which,  like  an  ever- 
present  guiding  genius,  possessed  him  as  he  started 
out  into  those  unknown  wilds,  that  he  was  ordained 
of  Heaven  to  traverse  that  country,  and  open  up  the 
path  for  the  Pioneer  settlers.  The  wild,  romantic 
stories  which  had  been  told  of  the  impassable 
mountains  and  impenetrable  forests,  filled  with 
bears,  wolves,  and  panthers,  of  enormous  size,  and 
giant  savages,  who  delighted  in  blood  and  carnage, 
were  all  dispelled,  as  horrid,  unreal  night-dreams, 
by  the  calm,  simple  story  of  the  elder  brother ;  and 
to  convince  them  that  it  was  a  region  fairer  than  ever 
their  eyes  beheld,  and  desirable  above  all  lands,  he 
assured  the  settlers  on  the  Yadkin,  that  he  in- 


THE  HUNTERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


57 


tended  taking  his  family  to  the  paradise  of  the 
West. 

What  he  promised  was  in  course  of  time  fulfilled ; 
and  after  getting  all  things  in  readiness,  he  and  his 
brother,  with  their  families  and  four  horses,  started 
for  their  destined  home.  The  news  of  their  return, 
and  their  intended  emigration  with  their  families, 
spread  all  over  the  country.  Though  there  were  not 
any  daily,  or  weekly,  or  monthly  papers  then  con- 
taining news,  and  no  artificial  mode  of  conveying 
intelligence  whatever,  yet  fleet-footed  backwoods- 
men, anxious  to  communicate,  and  inquirers,  eager  to 
learn,  were  to  be  found  in  all  directions.  It  is  a 
matter  of  wonder,  even  to  this  day,  with  what  fa- 
cility and  correctness  intelligence  is  communicated 
from  cabin  to  cabin,  almost  with  as  much  dispatch 
as  along  the  electric  wires,  and  often  with  greater 
precision  and  correctness.  What  denizen  of  a  large 
city  has  not,  on  visiting  the  country,  often  received 
intelligence  of  events  happening  in  the  city,  almost 
under  his  eye,  which  he  had  not  heard  of  before, 
and  which,  on  inquiry,  he  finds  to  have  transpired 
without  his  notice.  Intelligence,  with  them,  is  a 
common  stock ;  and  each  tells  the  other  all  he  knows 
and  all  he  hears.  So  spread  the  wonderful  news 
communicated  by  the  Kentucky  hunters. 

Accordingly,  when  the  brothers  arrived  with  their 
families  at  PowPs  Valley,  they  found  a  large  and 


58 


PIONEEKS    OF    THE  WEST. 


strong  party  of  emigrants  ready  to  accompany  them 
to  their  new  home.  The  party  consisted  of  five 
families  and  forty  men,  all  well  armed,  and  ready 
for  any  fatigue  or  emergency.  Soon  they  were  on 
their  way,  and,  striking  for  the  gap  in  the  Cumber- 
land Mountains,  the  great  gateway  which  nature 
had  constructed  for  the  Western  traveler  to  the 
New  "World,  they  moved  on.  At  night  they  would 
construct  rude  camps  of  poles,  over  which  they  would 
spread  their  tent-cloth  for  the  protection  of  the  wo- 
men and  children;  and,  kindling  their  fires,  would 
prepare  the  homely  but  healthful  repast. 

Thus  from  day  to  day  they  traveled  on,  without 
meeting  with  any  incident  to  mar  their  peaceful 
journey.  As  they  approached  a  ridge  known  as 
Walden's,  a  sad  calamity  befell  the  emigrant  band. 
Seven  of  the  young  men  of  the  company,  belonging 
to  the  different  families,  had  fallen  behind  the  rest, 
having  either  been  diverted  by  a  chase  of  some 
mountain  game,  or  in  search  of  the  cattle  which 
may  have  strayed  into  the  woods.  The  emigrants 
were  startled  at  beholding  one  of  the  number  of  the 
young  men  bound  into  their  midst,  out  of  breath, 
exclaiming,  " Indians!"  The  elder  hunter's  son,  a 
daring,  sprightly  youth  of  seventeen,  was  among 
the  number.  Instantly  following  the  one  who  had 
escaped,  the  whole  company  started  for  the  scene 
of  conflict. 


THE    HUNTERS    OF    THE    WEST.  59 


The  Indians  had  evidently  been  on  the  trail  of 
the  emigrants,  and  were  watching  an  opportunity 
for  attacking  any  portion  of  the  company  that  might 
get  separated  from  the  rest.  Being  vastly  superior 
in  numbers  to  the  young  men  whom  they  attack- 
ed unawares,  the  latter  soon  fell  victims  to  their 
deadly  aim,  and  all  but  the  one  we  have  alluded  to 
were  killed  upon  the  spot.  They  were  several  miles 
from  their  friends;  and  though  it  took  some  time  for 
the  hunters  to  arrive,  yet  they  were  on  the  spot 
before  a  scalp  was  taken,  and  the  sharp,  quick,  si- 
multaneous crack  of  the  unerring  rifle,  as  the  fright- 
ened savages  bounded  away  through  the  dense 
forests,  was  like  to  the  funeral  shots  over  the  graves 
of  buried  warriors.  There  before  them  lay,  in  Death's 
embrace,  the  flower  and  pride  of  Yadkin  and  Powel's 
Yalley.  Slowly  and  sadly  the  elder  hunter  raised 
his  lifeless  boy,  and  bore  him  away  to  meet  the 
agonizing  grief  of  a  fond,  affectionate  mother.  The 
others,  with  grief-smitten  hearts,  following,  took  up 
their  dead,  and  bore  them  to  the  camps. 

We  will  not  attempt  a  description  of  the  lamenta- 
tion, mourning,  and  woe  of  that  sad  scene.  It  was 
Indian  Summer;  a  soft  and  dreamy  haziness  was  in 
the  atmosphere ;  the  skies  wore  a  leaden  hue ;  and  a 
somber  aspect  was  cast  over  the  face  of  nature. 
"Wild,  craggy  rocks  and  deep  precipices  were  around, 
for  they  were  now  on  the  most  elevated  portion  of 


60 


PIONEERS    OF    THE  WEST. 


Walden's  ridge.  A  deep  gloom  settled  on  every  face 
of  that  cleeply-afflicted  band.  It  seemed  like  the 
night  of  the  Passover  to  the  Egyptians,  when  the 
first-born  in  every  house  was  slain  by  the  avenging 
angel;  and  though  the  pioneer  hunter  still  was  im- 
pressed that  it  was  his  destiny  to  lead  the  van  in  the 
settlement  of  the  country  he  had  explored,  all  but  he 
and  his  younger  brother  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
destiny  was  against  them,  and  they  must  return. 
There  was  not  a  mother  in  that  adventurous  band 
who  could  be  persuaded  to  risk  the  lives  of  any  of 
their  remaining  children  in  so  hazardous  a  journey. 

It  was  enough.  After  performing  the  last  sad 
and  solemn  office  of  committing  their  dead  to  one 
common  grave,  "  united  in  life  and  in  death  not 
divided,"  and  marking  the  spot  with  nameless 
stones,  moistened  with  many  tears  of  affection,  they 
started  back,  with  heavy  hearts,  to  the  homes  they 
had  left.  Before  reaching,  however,  their  former 
place  of  residence,  they  concluded  to  take  up  their 
abode  on  the  waters  of  the  Clinch  River,  where 
the  descendants  of  some  of  them  may  be  found  to 
this  day. 

Here  our  hunter  remained,  contented  to  wait 
the  openings  of  Providence  for  another  tour  to  the 
West.  His  name  and  fame,  as  a  daring  and  suc- 
cessful explorer,  had  spread  far  and  wide ;  and 
before  two  years  had  passed  since  his  last  unsuc- 


THE   HUNTERS  OF  THE   WEST.  61 

cessful  expedition,  an  order  came  from  Governor 
Dunmore,  of  Virginia,  requesting  him  to  conduct 
into  the  settlements  a  company  of  surveyors  whom 
he  had  some  months  before  sent  out  to  the  Falls  of 
the  Ohio,  for  the  purpose  of  effecting  a  settlement. 
To  this  request  he  complied,  regarding  it  a  favor- 
able opening  for  the  prosecution  of  that  great  mis- 
sion for  which  he  still  believed  himself  to  be 
destined.  Taking  a  companion  with  him  whom  he 
had  tried,  some  of  his  former  fellow-adventurers 
having 

"  pass'd  that  bourn 
From  whence  no  traveler  returns," 

he  was  once  more  on  his  way  across  the  mountains. 
They  had  no  time  to  spend  in  hunting,  as  the  mis- 
sion with  which  the  hunter  was  intrusted  was  urgent. 
The  party  at  the  Falls  were  in  danger  of  being 
captured  by  the  Indians,  and  were  not  aware  of 
that  danger.  All  the  delay  on  the  route  was  that 
which  was  necessarily  occasioned  in  killing  and 
cooking  game,  sufficient  for  their  supply  on  the 
road.  After  being  out  two  months,  during  which 
time  they  traveled  eight  hundred  miles,  they  arrived 
safely  at  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio,  and  found  the  com- 
pany to  whom  they  bore  the  governor's  message. 

Not  believing  that  there  was  any  immediate 
danger  to  be  apprehended  from  the  Indians,  the 


62 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


company  continued  at  the  Falls  until  an  incident 
occurred  that  convinced  them  of  the  truthfulness 
of  the  admonition.  A  party  had  gone  out  one 
day,  on  what  is  now  the  Indiana  side  of  the  river, 
and  about  a  mile  from  the  present  site  of  the  city 
of  Jeffersonville,  where  there  was  a  famous  spring 
of  the  most  pure  and  delicious  water,  possessing 
medicinal  properties,  and  which  has  since  been  a 
place  of  great  resort  by  the  pleasure  and  health 
seeking  from  various  parts  of  the  country.  To  this 
spring  was  given,  by  the  pioneers,  the  name  of 
Fontainebleau.  While  the  party  were  quaffing  the 
waters  of  this  "Western  fountain  of  Hygeia,  they 
were  surprised  by  the  Indians,  and  one  of  their 
number  killed.  This,  with  other  depredations,  and 
the  hostilities  which  were  being  commenced  in 
different  sections,  put  an  end,  for  the  time  being, 
to  the  settlement.  So  satisfactorily  was  the  mission 
performed  with  which  the  governor  intrusted  the 
hunter,  that  it  was  not  long  until  he  received  a 
commission  in  the  army,  and  was  ordered  to  take 
charge  of  three  garrisons  on  the  frontier.  He  per- 
formed every  duty  required  at  his  hands  with 
singular  skill  and  fidelity ;  and  when  the  great  and 
bloody  battle,  which  we  have  elsewhere  described, 
was  fought  at  Point  Pleasant,  he  was  in  the  van, 
doing  execution  as  a  gallant  soldier,  who,  to  use 
his  own  expression,  "  never  knew  fear." 


THE  HUNTERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


63 


After  this  he  was  selected  to  head  a  company 
appointed  by  government,  to  whom  was  assigned 
the  difficult  and  dangerous  task  of  cutting  out  a 
road  from  the  Holston  to  the  Kentucky  River.  They 
had  cut  their  way  through  the  wilderness  until 
they  had  reached  a  point  about  fifteen  miles  from 
where  the  town  of  Boonesborough  now  stands,  when 
the  Indians,  beholding  this  unmistakable  sign  of 
civilization,  as  the  path  of  the  pale  face  was  being 
opened,  became  enraged,  and  commenced  hostili- 
ties. The  road-makers,  headed  by  the  hunter,  stood 
their  ground,  and  succeeded  in  repelling  their 
attacks  with  such  success  that  they  were  enabled, 
with  the  rifle  and  the  ax,  to  make  a  path  in  the  wil- 
derness, over  which  the  coming  generations  might 
find  a  home  in  the  rich  and  fertile  valley  to  which 
it  led.  It  becoming  important  to  set  up  a  defense 
against  the  attacks  of  the  Indians,  our  hunter 
caused  a  strong  log  fort  to  be  erected.  On  the 
completion  of  this  fort,  a  point  was  gained  in  the 
way  of  settlement,  which  was  of  all  things  the 
most  desirable.  Here  the  pioneers  could  rally,  if 
attacked  by  superior  force,  and  defend  themselves 
from  the  assaults  of  the  savages. 

Once  more  the  hunter  sighed  for  the  companion- 
ship of  his  wife  and  children,  and,  feeling  that  if  he 
could  only  succeed  in  bringing  them  safely  across  the 
country,  here  they  would  be  protected,  again  he 


64 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


returned  home,  and  was  successful  in  prevailing  upon 
his  wife  to  accompany  him.  Others,  hearing  of  the 
road  cut  through  the  wilderness,  and  the  strong  fort 
which  had  been  erected,  united  with  the  family,  and 
before  they  started  the  company  consisted  of  twenty- 
seven  armed  men.  The  long  journey  was  performed, 
and  all  arrived  in  safety.  Intelligence  reaching  the 
settlements  of  the  success  of  the  expedition,  others 
were  induced  to  start,  and  among  the  number  the 
bold  and  daring  Henderson  filed  into  the  Western 
highway,  with  forty  full-armed  hunters,  well  pro- 
visioned for  the  march.  They  too  arrived,  but  there 
was  room  enough  and  to  spare. 

It  was  not  long  until  the  ax  followed  the  rifle,  and 
the  forest  began  to  fall  before  the  hand  of  civilization. 
The  fort  was  the  strong  point  about  which  they  all 
rallied,  as  it  was  dangerous  for  any  of  them  to  ven- 
ture too  far,  for  savage  blood  was  up,  and  the  en- 
croachments of  the  whites  had  aroused  the  Indians 
to  desperate  deeds.  Among  all  assembled  in  and 
around  that  stronghold,  that  city  of  refuge,  none 
was  more  esteemed  and  beloved  than  the  pioneer 
hunter.  His  superior  could  not  be  found,  and  he 
towered  above  his  fellows  in  his  own  native  strength 
and  dignity,  though  he  was  kind  and  complacent  to 
all. 

Here  it  was  determined  to  organize  a  govern- 
ment, of  which  the  fort  was  to  be  the  capital.  A 


THE  HUNTERS  OF  THE   WEST.  65 


land  office  was  opened  by  Colonel  Henderson,  and 
as  there  were  in  the  neighborhood  four  settlements, 
it  was  determined  that  delegates  should  be  summon- 
ed from  each,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  pro- 
visional government.  The  spring  of  1775  witnessed 
the  assembling  of  this  pioneer  legislature,  composed 
of  delegates  representing  a  constituency  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  settlers,  and  a  territory,  for  extent,  fer- 
tility, beauty,  and  richness,  never  equaled.  The  pres- 
ident, Colonel  Henderson,  caMed  the  assembly  to 
order,  and  inviting  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  Rev. 
John  Lythe,  a  pioneer  preacher,  to  address  the  throne 
of  grace,  the  Legislature  was  opened  in  the  name  of 
His  Majesty  the  King  of  Great  Britain,  the  alle- 
giance of  the  mother  country  not  yet  having  been 
thrown  off  by  the  colonists.  He  then  delivered  his 
address  to  the  delegates,  which  would  do  honor  to  a 
governor,  or  a  speaker,  of  the  present  day..  He  re- 
minded them  of  the  importance  of  laying  a  broad 
and  strong  foundation  for  the  future,  of  enacting  such 
good  and  wholesome  laws  as  would  command  the 
respect,  and  secure  the  support  of  the  people,  for 
whom  they  were  made.  Among  the  laws  enacted, 
was  one  proposed  by  the  hunter,  who  was  a  leading 
delegate,  having  reference  to  the  preservation  of  the 
game,  and  one,  also,  prohibiting  profane  swearing, 
and  the  profanation  of  the  Sabbath.  Finally,  the 
Legislature  adjourned,  invoking,  through  their  chap- 


66  PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 

lain,  the  blessings  of  Heaven  upon  their  laws  and 
deliberations. 

In  the  course  of  the  year,  many  more  families 
came  into  the  settlements,  and  among  the  number, 
the  family  of  Colonel  Callaway,  who  had  come  out  in 
advance,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature ;  Cal- 
laway had  two  lovely  daughters,  and  though  they 
had  grown  in  the  wilderness,  like  the  desert  flower, 
they  had  a  beauty  and  loveliness  which  nature  only 
can  impart.  The  aigival  of  these  girls  proved  a  joy- 
ous event  to  the  hunter's  daughter,  who,  like  them, 
was  just  blushing  into  womanhood.  They  were  pio- 
neer girls,  and,  like  their  fathers,  they  loved  the 
woods,  and  the  excitement  connected  with  its  scenes. 
One  day,  the  three  resolved  on  a  canoe  excursion. 
The  Kentucky  River,  near  Boonesborough,  presented 
a  most  enchanting  scenery.  Its  waters  flowed  along 
between  banks  untouched  by  the  hand  of  man. 
Trees,  and  shrubs,  and  flowers  grew  in  rank  luxuri- 
ance down  to  the  water's  edge,  and  were  reflect- 
ed back  from  its  transparent  surface.  Entering 
their  bark  and  seizing  the  light  paddles,  their 
canoe  darted  across  the  waters  like  a  thing  of  life. 
Crossing  and  re-crossing  from  shore  to  shore,  the 
current  insensibly  bore  them  down,  as  they  would 
stop  to  talk,  or  gather  the  water  lilies  which  grew 
along  the  margin.  At  times,  the  solitudes  were  made 
to  echo  with  their  joyous  laugh.    As  the  prow  of  their 


THE  HUNTERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


67 


Indian  bark  was  nestling  among  the  flowers  on  the 
opposite  bank,  a  swarthy  Indian,  who  was  concealed 
in  the  bushes,  crawled  through  them  like  a  black 
snake,  and,  sliding  unperceived  into  the  water,  caught 
the  rope  which  hung  over  the  bow,  and  giving 
it  a  sudden  jerk,  turned  it  up  stream.  The  loud 
shrieks  of  the  girls  were  heard  at  the  fort,  but  it  was 
too  late,  as  four  additional  Indians  immediately  seiz- 
ed them,  and  rushed  into  the  wilderness. 

Soon  men  from  the  fort  were, on  the  bank,  but  the 
canoe,  the  only  means  of  crossing,  was  on  the  opposite 
shore ;  and  none  dared  venture  to  swim  the  river,  fear- 
ing the  Indians.  The  fathers  were  both  absent  on 
business,  and  it  was  night  before  they  returned.  They 
were  not  long  in  selecting  a  party  of  brave  hunters, 
and  started  in  pursuit.  Crossing  the  river,  they  soon 
entered  a  thick  cane-brake ;  and,  practiced  as  they 
were  to  track  the  Indians,  they  found  it  difficult  to 
follow  them,  from  the  fact  that  the  Indians,  to  elude 
detection,  had  passed  through  at  considerable  dis- 
tances apart  from  each  other.  Every  sign  was  care- 
fully noted,  and  being  conscious  that  they  were 
ai  their  track,  they  hurried  onward  to  overtake 
Shem.  Thirty  miles  had  been  passed  over,  but  still 
they  were  not  found.  Their  hopes,  however,  were 
increased  by  noticing  less  caution  on  the  part  of  the 
Indians  to  elude  pursuit,  as  their  trail  became  more 
plain.    Finally  they  discovered  that  the  Indians  had 


68 


PIONEEKS  OF  THE  WEST. 


entered  a  buffalo  road,  and  were  pursuing  it.  The 
pursuers  now  quickened  their  pace,  being  assured 
that  they  would  soon  overtake  the  savages.  Still 
they  moved  with  caution ;  for  if  they  should  be  dis- 
covered before  getting  within  rifle  shot,  they  would 
murder  their  victims  and  flee.  After  traveling  about 
ten  miles  farther,  they  came  at  once  upon  them  in  a 
thick  cane-brake.  They  were  just  in  the  act  of  kin- 
dling their  fire,  and  camping  for  the  night.  Each  saw 
the  other  at  the  same  moment.  Instantly  the  sharp 
crack  of  four  rifles  was  heard ;  two  of  the  savages 
fell  as  they  were  in  flight,  and  the  rest  made  their 
escape,  leaving  the  girls  and  everything  behind 
them,  even  their  moccasins.  The  joy  of  those  pio- 
neers at  recovering  their  captive  daughters,  may  be 
imagined,  but  no  pen  can  describe  it. 

About  this  time  General  Clark,  who  had  fought 
bravely  at  the  battle  of  Point  Pleasant,  took  the  lead 
in  military  affairs  in  Kentucky,  and  the  fort  having 
been  attacked  frequently  by  the  Indians,  it  was  in- 
ferred that  there  would  be  a  concentration  of  warriors 
to  destroy  the  fort  and  its  inhabitants,  as  it  presented 
the  most  formidable  barrier  in  the  way  of  the  Indian, 
of  any  position  in  the  West.  So  general  was  the 
impression  that  a  darker  cloud  of  war  was  gathering 
than  had  yet  come  over  the  country,  that  three 
hundred  of  the  settlers  returned  to  their  old  homes, 
leaving,  comparatively  speaking,  but  a  small  handful. 


THE  HUNTERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


69 


In  this  crisis  it  was  important  to  keep  a  look-out  upon 
the  Indians,  and  watch  carefully  all  their  movements, 
that,  forewarned,  the  pioneers  might  be  forearmed  for 
any  emergency.  The  general  thought  it  most  im- 
portant to  have  spies  sent  among  the  savages,  who 
would  not  only  be  able  to  report  their  numbers,  but 
their  designs.  This  was  no  easy  matter  to  secure, 
and  the  difficulty  was  increased  by  not  being  able  to 
get  the  right  kind  of  men.  Could  the  pioneer  hunter 
and  legislator  be  prevailed  upon,  all  would  be  well ; 
but  he  had  already  been  taxed  more  than  any  other 
man,  and  had  performed  more  onerous  duties  than 
all  in  behalf  of  the  country.  Still  he  was  not  the 
man  to  flinch  from  responsibility;  and,  as  he  still 
felt  convinced  that  through  him  the  happy  destiny 
of  what  was  then  the  "Dark  and  Bloody  Ground" 
was  to  be  secured,  he  readily  acceded  to  Clark's 
proposal.  The  general  had  selected  for  him,  as  a 
companion,  the  well-tried  and  trusty  Simon  Kenton,  a 
kindred  spirit ;  and  together  they  started  out,  scouring 
the  frontiers  in  quest  of  the  Indians,  and,  when  find- 
ing them,  watching  with  eagle  eye  all  their  move- 
ments. Kenton  was  a  practiced  hunter,  as  well  as  a 
spy.  He  had  acted  in  that  capacity  for  the  colonial 
army  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Pitt,  and  had,  as  a  wild 
and  daring  hunter,  descended  the  Ohio,  and  ranged 
through  the  wilds  of  "Western  Yirginia  ;  but  hearing 
of  the  adventures  of  his  now  illustrious  companion, 


70 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


and  of  the  great  hunting  ground  in  which  he  had 
made  his  home,  he  resolved  on  visiting  it.  For  the 
first  time  they  had  met ;  and  to  them  was  intrusted 
the  protection  of  that  vast  frontier. 

The  spies  would  start  out  in  different  directions ; 
and,  scouring  the  country  for  miles  along  the  wild 
borders  of  the  Ohio,  would  meet  at  the  time  and  on 
the  spot  they  had  designated,  where  they  would 
recount  their  adventures  and  arrange  their  plans. 
After  being  satisfied  that  no  immediate  danger  was 
to  be  apprehended  from  the  Indians,  the  hunter 
returned  to  Boonesborough,  and  Kenton  to  his  favor- 
ite pursuit.  It  being  important  to  have  salt  for 
domestic  use,  a  party  started  out  to  what  was  called 
the  Blue  Licks,  for  the  purpose  of  engaging  in  its 
manufacture.  While  there,  they  were  surrounded 
and  captured  by  the  Shawnee  Indians,  and  the 
hunter  was  one  of  the  number.  They  were  in  all 
twenty-eight.  The  captives  were  taken  to  Old  Chilli- 
cothe,  where,  after  remaining  some  time,  the  hunter 
and  ten  other  captives  were  sent  through  the  wilder- 
ness to  Detroit;  whence,  after  continuing  a  month, 
he  returned  with  his  captors  to  Old  Chillicothe.  The 
Indians  became  so  much  attached  to  him  that  he  was 
adopted  into  an  Indian  family.  "With  his  brothers, 
so  great  was  the  confidence  reposed  in  him,  he  went 
out  frequently  on  hunting  excursions,  and  thus 
became  acquainted  with  the  localities  of  one  of  the 


THE  HUNTERS  OF  THE  WEST, 


71 


richest  valleys  in  the  world.    A  Shawnee  chief,  losing 

his  son,  adopted  him  in  his  place,  and  paid  great 

attention  to  him.    He  submitted  to  the  ceremony  of 

adoption,  which  consisted  in  having  all  his  hair  pulled 

out,  except  a  small  tuft  on  the  crown  of  the  head. 

After  which  all  the  white  blood  was  washed  out  of 

him,  by  various  ablutions,  and  he  was  painted  a  la 

Indian,  the  ceremony  concluding  with  a  feast  and  a 

smoke.    Submitting  patiently  to  his  captivity,  as 

part  of  that  destiny  which  he  believed  he  had  to 

work  out,  he  waited  the  openings  of  Providence  for 

his  release,  believing  firmly  that  it  would  come,  and 

he  should  return  to  his  loved  country. 

Knowing  that  he  understood  the  manufacture  of 

salt,  he  was  accordingly  sent  out  with  a  company  to 

the  Scioto  Salt  Licks  for  that  purpose.    Soon  after 

his  return  he  found  that  the  Indians  were  re-painting 

their  faces,  and  burnishing  their  arms,  for  another 

attack  on  the  fort  at  Boonesborough ;  and  he  deter* 

mined  on  making  his  escape  in  time  to  save  it  from 

the  surprise  of  the  desperate  savages.  Accordingly 

one  morning,  with  a  small  piece  of  jerked  venison 

he  started.    He  was  now  in  his  forty-third  year,  just 

in  life's  prime,  but  perhaps  not  so  fleet  as  formerly* 

It  was  to  be  a  race,  he  knew,  for  life ;  but  he  entered 

upon  it  with  faith.    He  struck  for  the  Ohio  River, 

and  through  deep  forests,  over  craggy  rocks,  and 

creeks,  and  rivers,  night  and  day,  he  urged  his  tire- 

5 


72  PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


less  course.  At  length  he  reached  the  Ohio ;  but 
the  river  was  in  full  bank,  a  mile  in  width.  He 
feared  to  encounter  the  rolling  tide.  Providen- 
tially he  espied  an  old  canoe,  which  had  drifted 
against  the  shore,  with  one  end  stove  in,  and,  spring- 
ing on  board,  paddled  himself  safely  over.  He  had 
been  out  four  days  and  four  nights,  and  had  eaten 
but  one  meal.  He  was  growing  faint,  yet  pursuing 
in  hope,  for  he  was  nearing  Boonesborough.  At 
length  he  arrived,  and  had  he  risen  from  the  dead  its 
inhabitants  would  not  have  been  more  surprised; 
besides,  his  appearance  had  changed  to  that  of  an 
Indian.  But  where  were  his  wife  and  children  ?  The 
faithful  and  affectionate  partner  of  his  joys  and  sor- 
rows had  given  him  up  for  dead,  having  heard  no 
tidings  of  him,  and  alone  with  her  children,  with  one 
exception,  she  had  wended  her  solitary  way  back  to 
North  Carolina. 

Having  apprised  the  inhabitants  of  the  contem- 
plated attack  on  the  fort,  additional  defenses  were 
thrown  up,  and  every  means  resorted  to,  to  render 
it  impregnable.  It  had  stood  many  an  assault,  and, 
like  Gibraltar  and  Sevastopol,  had  been  untaken 
by  the  combined  forces  of  the  Indian  nations.  It 
was  the  great  stronghold  of  the  West,  and  much 
depended  upon  retaining  it,  as  it  seemed  to  be  the 
only  point  around  which  the  hopes  of  the  pioneer 
gathered  in  the  midst  of  the  storms  of  war.  Every- 


THE   HUNTERS   OF  THE   WEST.  73 

thing  being  in  readiness  for  action,  and  a  force 
left  sufficient  to  guard  it,  our  hero  selected  nineteen 
of  the  bravest  of  his  companions  in  arms,  and,  with 
a  view  of  cutting  off  the  approach  of  the  enemy, 
or,  at  least,  weakening  their  forces,  started  out  on 
a  foray,  or  sorUe.  Their  object  was,  of  course,  to 
meet  the  enemy,  and,  knowing  the  route  they 
would  probably  take,  they  struck  for  the  Ohio 
River,  and,  crossing  it,  made  their  way  for  a  small 
Indian  town,  called  Paint  Creek,  up  the  valley  of 
the  Scioto.  Before,  however,  reaching  this  place, 
they  were  startled  by  the  crack  of  a  rifle  pro- 
ceeding from  a  party  on  their  way  to  join  the 
great  body  of  Indians,  with  whom  there  was  an 
understanding  to  rendezvous  at  Old  Chillicothe,  and 
from  thence  proceed  to  the  fort.  The  number  of 
the  Indians  was  thirty,  and  they  were  all  chosen 
warriors.  As  might  be  expected,  a  desperate 
conflict  ensued;  but  the  work  was  soon  accom- 
plished. The  battle  was  soon  fought,  and  soon 
ended.  The  unerring  shot  of  the  Kentucky  hunt- 
ers told  a  dreadful  work  that  day,  and  many  a 
painted  savage  was  made  to  bite  the  dust.  Not 
a  white  man  was  killed;  and  the  Indians,  retreat- 
ing, left  all  their  baggage  and  three  horses  in  the 
rapid  flight.  The  town  of  Paint  Creek  was  found 
entirely  deserted  of  inhabitants,  and  the  party,  find- 
ing no  more  Indians  apart  from  the  main  body, 


74 


PIONEEKS   OF   THE  WEST. 


returned  with  all  haste  to  the  fort.  Here  they 
found  everything  in  readiness  for  the  contemplated 
attack.  The  fort  contained  in  all  but  sixty-five  men, 
besides  the  women  and  the  children  of  the  pioneers. 

It  was  now  that  the  leader  saw  the  mystery  of 
his  captivity  revealed,  and  the  inscrutable  ways 
of  that  Providence  which  presided  over  his  des- 
tiny. Had  he  not  been  taken  captive  by  the  In- 
dians, he  would  neither  have  known  their  strength 
nor  designs ;  and  had  he  not  been  forced  to 
travel  through  the  wilderness  in  winter,  encount- 
ering incredible  hardships  in  the  weary  march, 
he  would  not  have  become  acquainted  with  the 
relation  the  Indians  sustained  to  the  French,  and 
the  assistance  they  expected  from  them.  But  now 
he  understood  all  their  plans  and  prospects,  and 
had  prepared  for  every  emergency  that  might  arise, 
even  beyond  his  knowledge.  It  was  not  long  until 
the  enemy  made  their  appearance,  and  the  com- 
mandant at  the  fort  was  not  surprised  to  find  among 
the  four  hundred  and  fifty  hideously-painted  and 
full-armed  warriors,  twelve  Canadian  Frenchmen 
and  Captain  Du  Quesne — after  whom  Fort  Pitt 
was  named — at  the  head  of  the  army.  Though 
the  chief,  Blackfish,  was  the  commander  proper, 
he  had  resigned  the  leadership  to  the  skillful 
Frenchman.  This  formidable  army  stood  in  front 
of  the  fort.    In  all  the  due  forms  of  war,  a  sum- 


THE  HUNTEftS   OF  THE  WEST.  75 

mons  to  surrender  was  sent  from  the  commander. 
The  hunter  knew  full  well  that  his  escape  from 
the  Indians,  and  his  subsequent  conduct,  would 
secure  his  death  should  a  surrender  be  made,  and 
he  knew  that  he  could  but  fall  in  the  defense  of 
the  fort,  so  he  chose  the  latter  alternative,  and 
resolved  to  defend  it  to  the  last.  In  the  mean  time, 
a  messenger  had  been  dispatched  to  the  eastern 
settlements  for  a  reinforcement;  and,  as  it  would 
delay  matters  and  give  time  for  their  arrival  before 
the  siege  commenced,  the  commander  asked  two 
days  for  deliberation,  which  was  granted,  and  the 
best  possible  use  made  of  it  in  adding  greater  sup- 
plies of  water  and  provisions  to  the  fort.  Du  Quesne, 
having  received  orders  from  Governor  Hamilton, 
at  Detroit,  to  take  the  fort,  but  preserve  the  lives 
of  its  inhabitants,  and  directing  him  to  call  out 
nine  men  from  the  garrison  to  negotiate  a  treaty, 
made  the  communication  to  the  fort.  When  this 
order  was  communicated,  those  within  the  fort  held 
a  consultation,  and,  fearing  it  was  a  stratagem  of 
the  Indians,  yet  wishing  to  delay  the  conflict  as 
long  as  possible,  they  agreed  to  accede  to  it,  pro- 
vided the  treaty-ground  should  be  selected  within 
cover  of  the  fire  of  the  fort. 

The  bold  and  heroic  leader  had,  from  one  of  the 
bastions,  announced  that  they  would  never  sur- 
render while  a  man  was  left  alive,  and  that  all 


76 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


their  threats  were  vain;  it  was  therefore  the  more 
probable  that  it  was  an  Indian  device  to  get  the 
leaders  in  their  power.  And  such  it  proved. 
The  hunter  and  eight  picked  men  went  outside  the 
fort,  and  met  the  treating  party — twice  their  number 
— sixty  yards  from  the  fort.  Du  Quesne  proposed  his 
terms,  which  were,  that  they  were  to  swear  alle- 
giance to  George  III.,  and  submit  to  the  Canadian 
government.  In  this  event  they  were  to  live  in 
peace,  and  have  all  their  property.  This  was  too 
much;  and  it  was  well  understood  by  the  leader 
that  it  was  but  a  crafty  device:  still  the  treaty 
was  signed.  After  this  act  was  performed,  Black- 
fish,  the  chief,  who  had  adopted  the  hunter  as  his 
son  at  Old  Chillicothe,  rose,  and  commenced  a 
speech  to  his  warriors.  He  said  it  was  customary, 
when  two  great  armies  entered  into  a  treaty  of 
peace,  to  shake  hands,  and  in  doing  so  it  was  the 
custom  for  two  Indians  to  shake  the  hand  of  each 
white  man.  The  gauze  was  too  thin  not  to  be  seen 
through  at  once  by  him  who  had  studied  the  Indian 
character;  but  both  parties  were  unarmed,  and 
believing,  as  he  knew  his  men,  that  one  was  a 
match  for  two  Indians,  it  was  assented  to. 

Just  then  a  gun  was  fired  as  a  signal,  and  the  In- 
dians, advancing  with  open  hands,  seized  each  their 
man,  not  with  the  grasp  of  friendship,  but  of  deadly 
hate.    They  were  the  flower  and  strength  of  the 


THE    HUNTEES   OF    THE  WEST. 


77 


army.  A  desperate  scuffle  ensued,  which  served  as 
a  signal  for  an  onset;  and  soon  the  Indians  from  the 
main  body  began  to  pour  in,  but  it  was  only  to  receive 
the  deadly  fire  from  the  fort,  every  shot  telling  with 
fearful  effect  upon  the  advancing  party.  It  was 
not  long  until  the  hunters  were  enabled  to  tear 
themselves  from  the  grasp  of  the  Indians,  and  flee 
to  the  fort,  and  the  heavy  gate  was  closed  and  bar- 
ricaded behind  them.  But  one  was  wounded  by  the 
fire  of  the  savages,  and  that  one  was  the  brother  of 
the  leader,  the  intrepid  hunter  who  had  four  times 
crossed  the  wilderness.  Du  Quesne  and  Blackfish 
now  ordered  a  direct  attack  upon  the  fort;  and  as 
there  were  woods  in  the  neighborhood,  it  afforded 
the  assailants  considerable  protection.  The  attack 
was  simultaneous;  and  amid  the  most  unearthly 
yells  a  storm  of  bullets  was  poured  into  the  fort. 
Soon  as  they  could  load  they  fired  again,  and  kept 
up  an  almost  incessant  stream  of  lead.  Not  so,  how- 
ever, with  the  hunters  of  Kentucky.  No  fire  was 
thrown  away.  They  picked  their  men,  and  every 
shot  told  its  work  of  death. 

One  day  passed,  and  a  night,  and  then  another 
day  and  a  night,  without  intermission.  The  hunter's 
brave  daughter  was  there.  Her  love  for  her  father 
had  induced  her  to  remain  when  the  mother  left,  in 
hopes  of  his  return  from  captivity;  and  now  that  her 
loved  sire  was  directing  the  battle,  she,  with  trusty 


78 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


rifle,  was  taking  unerring  aim,  through  the  port-holes 
of  the  garrison,  at  the  invading  foe.  But,  alas!  she, 
the  heroine  of  the  fort,  with  four  others,  was  wound- 
ed. A  negro  who  had  deserted  had  climbed  a  tree 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort,  and  was  pouring  deadly- 
shots  at  its  inhabitants  exposed  to  his  aim.  But  he 
was  discovered  just  in  the  act  of  firing,  when  a  ball 
from  the  hunter's  rifle  brought  the  deserter  and  mur- 
derer to  the  ground.  On  the  battle  raged.  Day- 
after  day  the  enemy  kept  up  their  fire,  until,  finding 
they  could  not  succeed  in  storming  the  fort,  they 
commenced  a  mining  operation,  intending  to  dig  a 
trench  from  the  bank  of  the  river  to  the  fort.  The 
clay  which  was  thrown  into  the  river  discoloring 
the  water,  the  work  was  discovered;  and  instantly  a 
counter-mining  operation  was  commenced,  which  en- 
tirely thwarted  their  plans.  Their  next  resort  was  to 
fire  the  fort;  and,  accordingly,  flaming  brands  were 
thrown  upon  it.  The  fire  caught  the  timbers,  and  for 
a  time  it  seemed  that  the  fate  of  the  fort  was  sealed. 
There  was  no  time  for  thought.  Instantly  a  brave 
young  man,  a  son  of  a  pioneer  who  had  been  wound- 
ed, mounted  to  the  flames,  and,  amid  a  shower  of 
balls  from  the  savages,  succeeded  in  extinguishing 
them,  and  descended  in  safety. 

At  length,  after  a  siege  of  nine  days,  the  Indians, 
whose  ranks  were  daily  and  hourly  growing  thinner 
and  thinner  by  the  deadly  aim  of  the  Kentucky 


THE   HUNTERS  OF  THE  WEST.  79 

marksmen,  raised  the  siege  and  dispersed,  leaving 
the  invincibles  in  their  stronghold. 

But  where  was  Kenton  during  this  decisive  battle? 
He  had  joined  his  fellow  spies  in  their  expedition  to 
the  Indian  town  on  the  Scioto,  and  in  advance  of 
them,  daring  and  impetuous  as  he  was,  he  had  surpris- 
ed and  at  one  shot  killed  two  Indians,  which  brought 
around  him  at  once  the  thirty  warriors  with  whom 
the  battle  was  fought  that  we  have  described,  and  in 
which  he  took  a  most  active  part.  Unwilling,  how- 
ever, to  return  with  the  nineteen  to  the  fort  until 
more  booty  had  been  secured,  he  went  on  to  the 
encampment  of  the  Indians,  and  after  ranging  the 
country  in  the  midst  of  savages,  he  was  not  seen  or 
heard  of  until  the  day  after  the  siege  was  raised, 
when  he  rode  into  the  fort  on  an  Indian  pony. 

After  the  battle,  thoughts  of  home  and  children 
again  preyed  upon  the  heart  of  the  pioneer,  and  he 
started  to  North  Carolina  to  visit  them.  He  arrived 
safely,  and  was  again  in  the  bosom  of  his  family,  who 
had  mourned  him  as  dead.  His  wife,  beginning  to 
believe,  notwithstanding  the  fate  of  her  first-born, 
whose  ashes  were  resting  in  a  wild  glen  of  the  Cum- 
berland Mountains,  and  the  many  disasters  that  had 
befallen  her  husband,  that  he  was  ordained  of  Provi- 
dence for  the  successful  accomplishment  of  the  work 
he  had  undertaken,  was  not  unwilling  again  to  ac- 
company him  to  the  West,  and,  after  remaining  some 


80 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


time  among  his  friends,  he  departed  for  Boones- 
borough.  Peace  and  happiness  smiled  around  the 
dwellings  of  the  settlers,  and  since  the  last  battle, 
which  we  have  described,  they  had  not  been  molest- 
ed by  the  Indians.  Emigrants  were  arriving,  the 
village  was  filling  up,  and  farms  were  being  opened 
in  the  rich  surrounding  plains  and  cane-brakes. 

In  the  fall  of  the  year  1780,  the  hunter  and  his 
brother,  who  had  fully  recovered  from  the  wound 
received  at  the  siege,  started  out  on  a  salt-making  ex- 
pedition to  the  Blue  Licks,  the  place  where  he  had 
before  been  captured.  Past  experience  induced  the 
greater  caution,  lest  they  might  be  surprised  by  the 
wily  savage,  who  was  always  lying  in  wait  for 
blood.  Having  made  what  salt  they  wanted  for 
their  winter's  use,  they  were  returning  leisurely  home, 
when  they  were  fired  upon  by  a  party  of  Indians, 
who  were  lying  in  ambush,  and  had,  perhaps,  been 
watching  their  movements  for  days.  The  brother  fell 
dead  upon  the  spot,  and  the  hunter  fled,  pursued  by 
the  Indians,  and  a  keen-scented,  ferocious  dog.  He 
had  reserved  his  fire,  and  it  was  well  he  had,  for 
though  he  distanced  his  pursuers,  the  dog,  uttering 
terrific  howls,  was  gaining  upon  him.  Turning,  he 
drew  his  rifle,  and  the  beast  uttered  his  last  howl  as 
he  rolled  dead  into  a  ravine  close  at  hand.  He  had 
run  three  miles,  and,  quickly  re-loading,  he  hastened 
on.    Finding  that  his  pursuers  had  abandoned  the 


THE   HUNTERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


81 


chase,  believing,  in  all  probability,  that  his  life 
was  a  charmed  one,  he  slackened  his  pace,  and 
leisurely  pursued  his  journey  to  the  fort.  It  was  a 
melancholy  day,  as  it  added  another  to  the  list  of 
the  dead  of  those  he  fondly  loved. 

The  next  summer,  an  attack  was  made  on  Bryant's 
Station,  headed  by  the  craven-hearted  Girty;  and  his 
brother-in-law  fell.  The  Indians  were  finally  repuls- 
ed, and  the  settlers,  rallying  from  all  parts  of  the 
country,  determined  to  pursue  the  savages,  and  expel 
them  from  the  land.  A  large  force  met  the  enemy 
at  the  Blue  Licks,  where  one  of  the  most  bloody  bat- 
tles was  fought  that  has  found  record  in  the  annals 
of  the  West.  In  that  battle  the  hunter's  son  was 
slain,  and  many  of  the  bravest  of  Kentucky's  sons 
found  a  warrior's  grave.  General  Clark,  hearing  of 
the  fatal  battle,  pursued  the  Indians  with  a  large  ar- 
my to  Old  Chillicothe ;  but,  being  warned  of  his  ap- 
proach, they  fled.  After  destroying  the  towns,  and 
spreading  desolation  over  the  country,  they  left,  im- 
pressing the  Indians  so  forcibly  with  their  strength 
and  power,  that  it  put  an  end  to  Indian  wars  and 
depredations  for  a  long  time. 

There  seemed  to  be  only  one  thing  that  the  Indians 
desired,  and  that  was,  to  make  a  captive  again  of  the 
Kentucky  hunter,  and  an  expedition  was  planned  for 
that  purpose.  Finding  that  he  had  partially  given 
himself  up  to  the  arts  of  peace,  and  was  living  in 


82 


PIONEERS  OP  THE  WEST. 


quiet,  cultivating  his  farm  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Boonesborough,  four  athletic  Shawnees  were  detailed 
to  go  and  watch  his  movements,  and  bring  him,  or 
his  scalp,  to  the  Indian  settlements.  They  started  on 
their  expedition,  and  arriving  at  his  place,  they  secret- 
ed themselves  in  the  woods,  and  watched  his  move- 
ments. One  day  he  went  out  a  short  distance  from 
his  cabin,  to  a  house  which  he  had  erected  for  dry- 
ing tobacco.  The  house  stood  in  the  midst  of  the 
patch.  In  the  interior  were  three  tiers,  one  above 
the  other,  on  which  the  tobacco  leaves  were  suspend- 
ed. The  lower  tier  having  become  perfectly  dry,  he 
was  engaged  in  removing  the  sticks  to  the  upper 
tier,  preparatory  to  gathering  the  remainder.  Hav- 
ing hoisted  the  sticks  from  the  lower  to  the  second 
tier,  he  was  standing  on  the  poles  that  supported 
them,  when  the  savages  entered  the  low  door,  and 
calling  him  by  name,  they  exclaimed,  "  Now  we've 
got  you  ;  you  will  not  get  away  any  more.  We  carry 
you  off  to  Chillicothe  this  time  ;  you  no  cheat  us  any 
more."  They  grinned  horribly,  as  with  upturned 
faces  and  pointed  guns  they  uttered  these  words. 

The  hunter  coolly  and  pleasantly  responded,  "Ah, 
my  friends!  glad  to  see  you.  How  have  you  been 
this  1oll£  time  ?" 

Seeing  their  impatience  to  have  him  come  down, 
he  said,  "I  will  go  with  you,  if  you  will  only  wait 
until  I  finish  removing  my  tobacco.    Stay  where  you 


THE   HUNTEKS   OF   THE  WEST. 


83 


are.  You  see  I  can't  get  away ;  and  watch  me  closely 
till  1  come  down.  You  like  tobacco.  "When  it  is 
cured  I  will  give  it  to  you,  and  we  will  smoke  to- 
gether." 

Continuing  his  conversation,  inquiring  about  his 
friends  at  the  Indian  town,  and  diverting  their  at- 
tention as  well  as  he  could,  he  succeeded  in  getting 
together  a  number  of  sticksful  of  tobacco,  and  turn- 
ing them  in  such  a  direction  as  that  they  would  fall 
between  the  poles,  directly  in  their  faces,  he  instantly 
disengaged  them;  and,  grasping  his  arms  full,  he 
sprang  down  upon  the  Indians,  filling  their  mouths 
and  eyes  with  the  dry  crushed  tobacco  until  they  be- 
came so  blind  and  suffocated  in  the  close  tobacco- 
house,  that  he  made  his  escape  and  reached  his 
cabin,  where,  seizing  his  trusty  rifle,  he  gained  the 
door,  only  to  see  the  Indians  running,  blind  and 
staggering,  to  the  woods. 

But  he  who  had  braved  the  dangers  of  the  wilder- 
ness, and  passed  unhurt  amid  its  wild  beasts  and 
savages,  to  open  the  gates  of  a  "Western  Paradise,  and 
expel  from  it  all  dangers,  and  guard  it  against  all 
foes,  was  even  cheated  by  that  most  villainous  of 
all  classes  of  men,  pioneer  land  speculators,  out  of 
his  small  inheritance  within  its  wide  domain.  Cha- 
grined, disappointed,  and  disgusted  with  the  conduct 
of  such  men,  and  being  unable  to  obtain  redress; 
realizing  that  he  had  so  far  fulfilled  his  destiny  as 


84 


PIONEERS   OF    THE  WEST. 


to  open  up  and  secure  broad  and  beautiful  homes  for 
others  in  that  verdant,  flowery  land,  though  there 
was  none  for  him,  he  gathered  up  what  little  effects 
he  had,  and  returned  to  Virginia.  Here  he  had  an 
interview  with  "Washington,  the  pioneer  soldier,  to 
whom  he  related  his  grievances,  and  whose  manly  and 
generous  heart  was  filled  with  sympathy  at  the  recital 
of  his  wrongs.  But  no  redress  came,  and  the  rifle  sup- 
plied the  hunter  and  his  family  with  the  necessaries  of 
life.  "While  residing  here,  intelligence  comes  to  his 
ears  from  his  son  in  the  far  West,  whither  he  had 
gone  to  seek  his  fortune,  of  a  country  rich  and  glo- 
rious, beyond  the  Father  of  Waters.  That  country 
was  Louisiana,  and  belonged  to  Spain;  but  it  was, 
nevertheless,  open  to  the  adventurer. 

He  had  now  lived  half  a  century,  and  his  life  from 
childhood  had  been  spent  in  the  woods.  He  had 
traveled  on  foot  from  the  Appalachian  chain  to  the 
upper  lakes,  and  all  over  the  valley  watered  by  the 
Ohio  and  its  tributaries ;  and  though  he  was  verging 
to  three-score,  yet  the  force  and  fire  of  his  fresh  and 
vigorous  life  were  not  abated.  Though  objects  near 
and  small  could  not  be  seen  with  the  same  clearness 
as  in  other  days,  his  vision  had  increased  in  its  far- 
reaching  power.  Like  him  who  had  guided  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  through  the  desert,  when,  after  six  score 
years,  he  ascended  Nebo,  on  the  borders  of  Canaan, 
"his  eye  was  not  dim,  nor  his  natural  force  abated." 


THE    HUNTERS   OF  THE    WEST.  85 

So  the  hunter,  in  looking  from  his  mountain  home  to 
the  wide-spread  valleys  of  the  sunny  South,  caught 
new  life,  and  felt  young  again. 

"Mad  Anthony,"  as  he  was  called  by  the  Indians, 
had  spread  terror  among  all  the  ranks  of  the  Western 
savages,  and  had  formed  a  treaty  at  Greenville,  in 
what  is  now  Western  Ohio,  which  put  an  end  to 
Indian  hostilities;  and  the  country  was  rapidly  set- 
tling in  all  directions.  The  ax  in  a  great  measure  had 
taken  the  place  of  the  rifle,  or  was  always  followed 
and  associated  with  it — the  one  the  type  of  savage, 
the  other  of  civilized  life.  A  half  century  before, 
our  hunter  stood  alone  in  the  solitudes  of  the  West, 
chasing  the  bear,  and  deer,  and  buffalo;  now  the 
very  range  of  his  hunting  grounds  was  peopled  by 
half  a  million.  It  was  not,  as  some  have  vainly  im- 
agined, that  he  loved  and  courted  solitude  because 
he  hated  his  species.  There  never  beat  in  man  a 
kindlier  or  more  philanthropic  heart.  While  he  was 
a  stranger  to  selfish  and  sordid  emotions,  he  was  alike 
above  mean  actions;  and  he  lived  and  toiled  for 
others,  amid  hardships  and  sufferings  that  would 
have  crushed  a  thousand  hearts. 

But  we  have  said  his  far-reaching  vision  was  on 
the  distant  southern  portion  of  the  great  valley ;  and 
his  ever  true  and  faithful  wife,  who  had  stood  by 
him  in  all  the  early  scenes  of  his  eventful  life,  was 
willing  to  accompany  him  to  that  far-off  land.  The 


86 


PIONEEKS    OF    THE  WEST. 


journey  was  undertaken;  and  after  the  usual  toil  and 
danger  attendant  upon  such  an  expedition  in  that 
early  day,  this  pioneer  family  at  length  reached  the 
home  of  their  son,  and  there  was,  as  may  well  be 
imagined,  a  joyful  meeting.  He  had  not  been  long 
in  the  country  till  the  news  of  his  advent  was  spread 
abroad  through  the  territory.  He  whose  name  and 
fame  had  filled  the  upper  valley,  was  not  unknown 
in  that  distant  region.  The  Lieutenant-Governor  of 
Charles  IY.,  King  of  Spain,  (Don  Carlos,)  hailed  with 
joy  his  arrival,  regarding  him  as  a  most  valuable  ac- 
cession to  the  Spanish  government.  In  a  short  time 
he  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  district 
where  he  had  taken  up  his  abode;  and,  giving  him 
eight  thousand  five  hundred  acres  of  land  on  the 
Missouri  River,  the  governor  assured  him  that  he 
should  want  for  nothing. 

It  is  said  republics  are  ungrateful.  If  they  are  not, 
one  thing  is  certain ;  and  that  is,  they  do  not  make 
the  same  munificent  provision  for  eminent  services 
that  monarchies  do,  nor  yet  is  it  so  freely  done. 

In  the  year  1803,  Napoleon,  the  then  reigning 
monarch,  having  possession  of  Louisiana,  sells  and 
cedes  it  to  the  United  States,  connected  with  the 
oracular  declaration  that  he  had  given  England  a 
rival.  In  this  transfer  the  hunter  found  himself  once 
more  a  citizen  of  the  republic ;  and  with  it  he  also 
found  himself  again  a  houseless,  homeless  wanderer ; 


THE  HUNTERS    OF   THE  WEST* 


87 


but  his  rifle  was  left,  and  the  forests  of  Missouri  were  full 
of  game.  Shouldering  this  friend  of  his  youth,  and 
companion  of  his  later  days,  he  penetrated  the  wil- 
derness. He  was  now  in  his  sixty-fifth  year ;  but  far, 
far  away  he  traveled,  making  the  desert  his  home. 
"While  engaged  in  trapping  for  beaver  he  was  exposed 
to  many  hardships  and  dangers.  It  required  all  the 
caution  of  which  he  was  master  to  elude  the  savages 
of  the  Northwest.  He  concealed  his  camp  by  never 
striking  a  fire  in  the  daytime.  When  well  supplied 
with  furs  he  would  visit  St.  Louis,  and  dispose  of 
them  for  such  articles  as  were  needed  for  hunting. 
On  one  occasion  it  is  related  of  him  that  he  took 
pack  horses,  and  penetrated  the  country  on  the  Osage 
River,  taking  with  him  a  negro  boy,  about  fourteen 
years  of  age.  Here  he  camped  out  for  the  winter, 
but  was  unfortunately  taken  sick.  One  has  said, 
"  Men  did  not  get  sick  in  those  days ;  and  if  they  did, 
their  sickness  was  generally  unto  death so  thought 
the  hunter.  And  thus  impressed,  on  one  pleasant 
day,  he  took  his  staff,  and  tottering  along,  told  the 
boy  to  follow  him.  On  arriving  at  a  small  grassy 
knoll,  deep  in  the  wild  wood,  he  marked  out  the 
ground  in  the  shape  and  size  of  a  grave.  Then 
looking  at  the  boy,  he  said,  "If  I  die,  bury  me 
here." 

But  his  sickness  was  not  unto  death;  he  had  not 

yet  done  the  errand  of  his  destiny.    His  health 

6 


88 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


returned  with  returning  spring  ;  and  breaking  up  his 
camp,  he  returned  to  the  bosom  of  his  family.  Old 
age  was  now  coming  upon  him ;  and,  as  he  would 
soon  be  unable  to  hunt,  he  memorialized  Congress  in 
relation  to  his  Louisiana  lands.  After  many  vexa- 
tious delays,  he  at  length,  in  lieu  of  the  eight  thousand 
five  hundred  acres  in  Louisiana,  received  a  title  to 
eight  hundred  and  fifty. 

In  the  mean  time,  his  wife,  the  brave,  the  noble- 
hearted  pioneer  mother,  and  faithful  companion  of 
the  hunter,  closed  her  earthly  career.  She  had  passed 
her  three-score  years  and  ten,  and  calmly  she  sunk 
into  the  slumbers  of  the  grave.  Her  spirit  was 
kindled  with  the  light  of  the  better  world  as  she 
neared  its  portals;  and  as  a  summer  cloud  fades 
away  into  the  light  of  heaven,  so  she  passed  to  the 
abodes  of  the  blessed. 

The  hunter  had  now  more  than  ever  his  thoughts 
turned  to  another  life,  even  to  that  world  where 
injustice  and  oppression  never  enter,  and  where  man 
is  not  the  foe  of  his  fellow-man;  where  death  and 
sorrow  cannot  come ;  where  there  are  brighter  fields 
and  flowers,  more  verdant  plains  and  mountains,  and 
more  beautiful  rivers  than  "  eye  hath  seen."  Among 
his  children  and  grandchildren  he  passed  away  in 
quietness  the  remainder  of  his  days ;  and  when  the 
soft  breath  of  Indian  summer  kissed  the  lingering 
flowers  of  the  prairie,  in  the  eighty-sixth  year  of  his 


THE   HUNTERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


89 


age,  the  grave  was  opened  beside  that  of  his  wife, 
that  they  who  were  "lovely  and  pleasant  in  their 
lives"  might  "  not  in  death  be  divided and  all  that 
remained  of  Daniel  Boone,  the  Hunter  of  Kentucky, 
was  committed  to  the  dust. 


90 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  PIONEER  SETTLERS. 

The  Six  Nations  owned  the  country  west  of  the 
Alleghanies,  including  the  great  valley  watered  by 
the  Ohio  and  its  tributaries.  All  this  region,  as 
early  as  1684,  had,  by  the  treaty  of  Lord  How- 
ard, Governor  of  Virginia,  been  placed  under  the 
protection  of  Great  Britain.  This  treaty  was  re- 
newed in  1701,  and  in  1726  a  formal  deed  was 
drawn  up  and  signed  by  the  chiefs  of  these  nations, 
formally  ceding  these  lands  to  the  British  govern- 
ment. In  addition  to  this,  lands  in  the  West  had 
been  purchased.  A  treaty  was  held  between  the 
king's  commissioners  and  the  chiefs  of  the  Six 
Nations  at  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania,  in  1744,  at 
which  Conrad  Weiser,  who  had  before  been  sent 
out  to  Logstown,  on  the  Ohio,  acted  as  interpreter. 
This  treaty  was  ratified  by  the  payment  of  certain 
sums  of  money  and  goods  for  lands  already  occu- 
pied which  were  claimed  by  the  Indians. 

On  the  basis  of  this  treaty  the  Ohio  Company 
was  formed  in  1748.    Among  the  number  of  those 


PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


93 


who  composed  this  company  were  two  brothers 
of  Washington.  They  had  no  sooner  organized, 
than  they  petitioned  the  King  of  England  for  a 
grant  of  lands  beyond  the  mountains.  Their  peti- 
tion was  favorably  received,  and  the  monarch 
ordered  the  government  of  Virginia  to  make  the 
company  a  grant  of  one  million  acres  of  land  in 
the  locality  they  had  designated.  Two  hundred 
thousand  acres  of  this  land  was  to  be  located  at 
once,  and  the  company  were  to  be  allowed  to 
hold  it  for  ten  years  without  rent  or  taxation,  pro- 
vided that  within  seven  years  they  should  settle  it 
with  one  hundred  families,  and  build  a  fort  suffi- 
cient to  protect  themselves  from  invasion.  The 
proviso  was  accepted,  and  an  order  was  imme- 
diately sent  to  England  for  a  cargo  of  goods  suited 
to  the  Indian  trade. 

Other  companies  were  organized  about  the  same 
time  in  Virginia,  whose  object  was  to  colonize  the 
"West.  One  of  these,  denominated  the  Greenbrier 
Company,  received  a  grant  of  one  hundred  thousand 
acres  of  land.  To  the  Loyal  Company  a  grant  of 
eight  hundred  thousand  acres  was  made,  extending 
from  the  Canada  line  north  and  west.  This  same 
year  a  trading-house  was  established,  and  a  fort  built, 
called  Fort  Prudhomme,  on  the  Mississippi,  below 
the  Falls  of  the  Ohio,  and  a  trading-house  opened 
among  the  Creeks,  and  subsequently  pne  was  est&th 


94 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


lished  on  the  Miami.  These  were  necessary  and  im- 
portant auxiliaries  to  the  companies,  as  they  served 
not  only  to  open  up  a  commerce  with  the  various 
tribes,  but  they  furnished  supplies  for  the  settlers. 
It  is  astonishing  that  in  that  early  day  there  was 
such  a  quantity  and  variety  of  produce  as  it  is 
ascertained  was  taken  to  the  marts  of  trade.  Farm- 
ers and  traders  from  Illinois  took  to  Fort  Prud- 
homme  flour,  corn,  hams,  pickled  pork,  beans,  beef, 
myrtle  wax,  cotton,  tallow,  leather,  tobacco,  lead, 
iron,  copper,  buffalo  wool,  venison,  poultry,  bears' 
grease,  oil,  skins  and  coarse  furs,  and  these  were 
shipped  from  thence  to  the  New-Orleans  market. 
Thousands  of  barrels  of  flour  were  sent  from  Illinois 
to  this  market  during  the  years  1746  and  1747, 
upward  of  a  hundred  years  ago. 

In  1752  a  fort  was  built  on  Chartier's  Creek,  not  far 
from  the  Youghiogheny  River,  and  the  goods  having 
arrived  from  England  which  the  company  had  sent 
for,  traders  from  the  frontiers,  and  others  who  in- 
tended settling  in  the  West,  obtained  them  at 
Cumberland,  whither  they  were  sent,  and  packing 
them  on  horses — for  there  were  then  no  roads — 
transported  them  across  the  mountains. 

In  the  year  1760  the  Ohio  Company  made  addi- 
tional requests  of  the  British  government,  to  enable 
them  successfully  to  carry  out  their  plans  and  pur- 
poses in  the  settlement  of  the  West.    They  were 


PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


95 


allowed,  through  a  treaty  held  at  Fort  Pitt,  to 
erect  forts  within  the  lands  allotted  to  them.  Up 
to  1757,  England  had,  through  the  government  of 
Yirginia,  made  grants  of  lands  in  the  "West,  amount- 
ing to  upward  of  three  millions  of  acres. 

For  the  purpose  of  encouraging  emigration  to 
these  lands,  pamphlets  were  published  describing 
the  country,  embracing  an  account  of  the  agricul- 
tural and  mineral  resources  of  the  vast  valley. 
These  were  widely  scattered  through  the  East ;  and 
as  books  were  scarce  in  those  days,  they  were  read 
with  avidity  and  deeply  pondered  by  brave  and 
hardy  New-Englanders,  who  saw,  in  the  fertile  val- 
leys of  the  Ohio  and  its  numerous  tributaries, 
sources  of  subsistence  and  wealth  they  could  never 
dig  out  of  the  thin,  rocky  soil  of  their  farms.  In  ad- 
dition to  this,  the  company  sent  an  agent  to  England 
to  represent  its  interests,  and  make  what  further 
negotiations  were  necessary  to  enable  them  to  carry 
out  their  plans  in  regard  to  settlement. 

About  this  time,  the  Transylvania  Company  was 
organized,  and  settlements  were  effected  by  emi- 
grants at  and  around  Boonesborough.  North  of  the 
Ohio,  however,  but  little  was  accomplished  toward 
settlements,  with  the  exception  of  a  cabin  and  small 
clearing.  The  adventurous  and  daring  Moravian, 
Post,  had  penetrated  the  wilderness  and  established 
a  mission  on  the  Muskingum,  not  far  from  Beaver- 


96 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


town,  and  erected  a  cabin.  After  having  made  the 
necessary  arrangements  with  the  Indians,  among 
whom  he  had  gone  to  preach  the  Gospel,  and  thus 
turn  them  from  darkness  to  light,  he  returned  to  the 
East  for  assistance,  which  he  secured  in  the  person 
of  the  equally  enterprising  and  adventurous  Hecke- 
welder.  Having,  as  we  have  already  stated,  made 
arrangements  with  the  Indians,  by  which  he  was  al- 
lowed to  preach,  and  instruct  the  children  in  the 
rudiments  of  an  education,  he  commenced  clearing  a 
piece  of  ground  around  his  cabin,  for  the  purpose  of 
raising  corn,  as  he  did  not  wish  to  be  dependent  upon 
the  Indians  for  a  support.  When  the  chiefs  discover- 
ed what  he  was  doing,  they  inquired  of  him,  if  he 
had  not  changed  his  mind,  for,  said  they,  "  You  came 
here  for  the  purpose  of  teaching  our  children  to  read 
and  write;  but,  instead  of  doing  this,  you  are  clearing 
land ;  and  if  you  do  this,  others  may  do  it,  and  the 
next  thing  a  fort  will  be  built  to  protect  them,  and 
then  they  will  claim  the  land  and  drive  off  the  In- 
dians, as  they  have  always  done,  where  they  had  the 
power." 

To  this  Post  replied,  "  A  teacher  must  live,  and 
as  I  do  not  wish  to  be  a  burden  on  you,  I  wish  to 
raise  my  own  food."  They  told  him  that  the  French 
priests  did  not  raise  corn,  and  yet  they  were  fat  and 
hearty,  and  that  the  Great  Spirit,  who  fed  them  with- 
out work,  would  also  feed  him,    They  concluded, 


PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


97 


however,  to  give  him  a  garden  spot,  the  boundaries 
of  which  they  defined,  and  from  this  he  had  to  live 
as  best  he  and  his  assistant  could. 

These  Moravians  cultivated  their  garden,  and 
taught  the  Indians  religion  and  letters,  submitting  to 
all  the  privations  and  hardships  incident  to  a  fron- 
tier life,  with  a  zeal,  fidelity,  and  bravery  that  must 
ever  secure  for  them  the  first  place  among  the  pio- 
neer missionaries  of  the  Ohio.  Here  they  continued 
their  missionary  labors  until  the  times  became  so 
troublous,  in  a  warlike  aspect,  that  the  Indians  ad- 
vised them  to  leave  the  country,  which  they  did  in 
1762,  and  we  hear  no  more  of  the  Moravians  until 
the  year  17 67,  at  which  time  Zeisberger  went  to  the 
Alleghany,  and,  though  much  opposed  by  the  In- 
dians, succeeded  in  establishing  a  mission  among 
them.  He  had  the  true  Moravian  spirit,  and,  not- 
withstanding many  threats  and  dark-concerted  plots, 
he  fearlessly  pursued  his  heavenly  calling,  laboring 
to  convince  the  children  of  the  forest  that  he  was  not 
their  enemy,  but  their  friend,  and  that  he  was  not 
seeking  theirs,  but  them.  Toiling  on  in  hope,  against 
hope,  lie  finally  succeeded,  and  several  chiefs  were 
converted  to  Christianity.  But  his  labors  stopped 
not  here.  The  Delaware  Indians  on  the  Muskingum 
invited  him  to  come  and  establish  a  mission  among 
them,  and  in  this  invitation  they  were  joined  by  the 
Wyandots.    Accordingly,  in  the  spring  of  1772,  Zeis- 


98 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


berger,  with  twenty-seven  of  his  native  converts, 
founded  the  mission  at  Shoenbrun,  on  the  Muskin- 
gum, the  first  Christian  mission  or  Church  of  any- 
kind  established  within  the  limits  of  the  present 
State  of  Ohio,  the  destruction  of  which,  by  worse 
than  heathen  white  men,  we  have  elsewhere  described. 

Another  land  company  was  organized  through  the 
influence  of  Sir  William  Johnson,  and  Mr.  Thomas 
Walpole,  an  eminent  London  banker,  becoming  con- 
nected with  it,  and  taking  a  large  interest  in  its  man- 
agement, it  subsequently  assumed  his  name,  and 
became  known  as  the  Walpole  Company.  The  influ- 
ence of  Benjamin  Franklin,  through  his  son,  was 
sought  and  secured  in  favoring  the  interests  of  this 
company  with  the  British  government.  In  1767, 
Sir  William  was  empowered  with  authority  to  pur- 
chase from  the  Six  Nations  a  large  tract  of  land 
lying  south  of  the  Ohio  River.  He  accordingly  call- 
ed a  Congress  of  the  nations  at  Fort  Stanwix.  At 
this  Congress,  the  boundary  line  between  the  settlers 
and  the  Indian  lands  was  determined  as  follows, 
namely  :  Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Tennessee  River, 
and  extending  up  the  Ohio  to  Fort  Pitt;  thence  up 
the  Alleghany  to  Kittaning;  thence  across  to  the 
Susquehanna,  including  within  this  boundary  all  the 
lands  south  of  the  Ohio  River  to  which  the  Six  Na- 
tions had  any  claims.  This  tract  included  a  district 
of  country  between  the  Kanawha  and  Monongahela 


THE    PIONEEE  SETTLERS. 


99 


Rivers.  The  whole  was  by  the  treaty  ceded  to  the 
British  government.  A  grant  of  a  portion  of  it  was 
made  to  twenty-two  traders,  as  an  indemnity  for 
spoliations  made  by  the  Indians  in  1763. 

About  this  time  a  new  company  was  formed  in 
Virginia,  denominated  the  Mississippi  Company, 
which  petitioned  the  king  for  a  grant  of  two  millions 
and  a  half  of  acres  of  land  in  the  West.  To  this  peti- 
tion the  name  of  Washington,  with  that  of  other  dis- 
tinguished men  of  that  day,  was  affixed.  This  peti- 
tion was  referred  to  the  Board  of  Trade,  but  what 
was  its  fate  no  one  knows ;  at  least,  history  is  silent 
upon  the  subject.  This  same  Board  of  Trade  was 
called  upon  to  report  in  relation  to  the  application 
of  the  Walpole  Company,  which  was  opposed  by  the 
president,  Lord  Hillsborough.  The  report  of  Hills- 
borough called  forth  from  Franklin  an  ably  written 
paper,  entitled  the  "  Ohio  Settlement."  The  argu- 
ments of  this  document  were  so  cogent  and  power- 
ful, that  the  king's  council  set  aside  the  adverse 
report  of  the  president,  and  granted  the  petition, 
much  to  the  chagrin  and  disappointment  of  Hills- 
borough, who,  immediately  thereupon,  resigned  the 
presidency  of  the  Board.  The  petition  received  the 
sanction  of  the  king,  and  the  old  Ohio  Company  was 
merged  into  that  of  Walpole's.  Soon  after  this  the 
Revolutionary  war  broke  out,  and  resulting,  as  it  did, 
in  dissolving  all  connection  with  the  mother  country, 


100 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


nothing  more  is  heard  of  this  company,  until  Walpole 
and  his  associates  petitioned  Congress  respecting 
their  lands.  They,  however,  obtained  no  satisfac- 
tion, doubtless  upon  the  ground  that  Congress 
regarded  all  the  previous  contracts  as  null  and 
void. 

In  1773,  General  Lyman,  with  quite  a  number  of 
military  adventurers,  descended  the  Ohio  and  Missis- 
sippi to  the  town  of  Natchez,  and  surveyed  land, 
locating  several  townships  in  that  region,  and  thus 
inviting  the  emigrant  to  people  the  mighty  West. 
Nor  was  it  long  until  the  tide  set  in  that  direction ; 
and  during  the  summer  four  hundred  families 
passed  down  the  Ohio  in  the  broad-horns,  as  the 
boats  were  called  which  floated  down  the  Ohio  and 
Mississippi  in  that  day.  Several  years  before  this, 
however,  Ebenezer  and  Jonathan  Zane  had  effected 
a  settlement  at  Wheeling. 

Families  had  settled  in  the  then  distant  Illinois, 
and  Kaskaskia  and  Cahokia  contained  upward  of  a 
hundred,  the  Illinois  and  Wabash  companies  having 
purchased  of  the  Indians  three  immense  tracts  of 
land,  included  in  what  is  now  the  States  of  Indiana 
and  Illinois,  and  bordering  upon  the  Ohio,  Missis- 
sippi, and  Missouri  Rivers.  At  St.  Louis  and  St. 
Genevieve  there  were,  in  1771,  upward  of  twelve  hun- 
dred settlers,  the  most  of  whom  were  French,  who 
claimed  the  country ;  and  it  was  not  till  ten  years 


THE   PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


103 


later  that  the  Americans  began  to  migrate  to  that 
region. 

The  first  fort  erected  within  the  present  boundary 
of  the  State  of  Ohio,  with  the  exception  of  Fort 
Laurens,  was  that  of  Fort  Harmar,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Muskingum  River.  Fort  Laurens  was  built 
on  the  Tuscarawas  River,  in  the  then  heart  of  the 
Indian  country.  Fort  Harmar  continued  a  strong- 
hold for  the  West  until  1790,  when  the  soldiery  were 
ordered  down  the  river  to  Fort  Washington,  where 
Cincinnati  now  stands.  Fort  Harmar  became  the 
scene  of  many  a  thrilling  adventure.  Plans  were 
frequently  made  for  attacking  it  by  the  Indians ; 
but  with  such  poor  success  that  they  abandoned  all 
hopes  of  taking  it,  and  resorted  to  every  mode  of 
backwoods  warfare  to  annoy  and  kill  the  inhabitants. 
The  valley  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Muskingum  was 
quite  narrow,  and  the  land  rose  up  abruptly  and 
precipitously,  spreading  back  into  dense  and  wild 
forests.  In  these  solitudes  the  Indians  would  secrete 
themselves ;  and  whenever  they  could  find  any  of 
the  inhabitants  away  from  the  fort,  would  spring 
upon  them,  and  bear  them  into  captivity,  or  shoot 
them  down  in  their  tracks,  taking  away  their  scalps 
as  trophies  of  victory.  Such  was  the  state  of  the 
country,  it  being  difficult  to  obtain  provisions,  that 
it  became  necessary  for  the  inhabitants  to  cultivate 
the  soil ;  and  hence  all  were  employed  in  the  proper 


104  PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


season  in  raising  crops  of  corn,  from  the  rich  alluvion 
of  the  narrow  valley. 

The  fort  was* not  occupied  exclusively  by  soldiers; 
there  were  to  be  found  among  them  brave  and  hardy 
pioneers,  who  had  come  out  to  seek  their  fortunes  in 
the  West.  Among  these  were  men  of  almost  every  vo- 
cation and  condition  in  life,  constituting  fragments  of 
many  families  in  the  older  settled  parts  of  the  country. 

Among  the  number  of  those  who  had  braved  the 
dangers  of  the  "West,  was  a  young  lawyer,  by  the 
name  of  Return  Jonathan  Meigs.  Necessity  com- 
pelled him,  with  the  rest,  to  lay  aside  his  books  and 
briefs,  and  take  to  the  plow  for  a  subsistence.  He 
had  planted  a  field  of  corn  on  the  banks  of  the  river, 
about  half  a  mile  above  the  fort.  Between  his 
field  and  the  fort  was  a  dense  wood,  with  only  an 
obscure,  narrow  path.  Having  finished  his  work, 
one  day,  he  was  returning  to  the  garrison,  fatigued 
with  toil,  in  company  with  a  friend  and  a  colored 
boy,  whom  he  had  brought  with  him  from  Connecti- 
cut. As  it  was  customary,  not  only  for  the  purposes 
of  defense,  should  he  be  attacked  by  the  Indians,  but 
for  shooting  game,  he  always  carried  with  him  his 
gun.  As  they  were  walking  leisurely  along,  a  large 
serpent  came  out  of  the  thicket,  and  crossed  the  path 
just  in  front  of  the  company.  Meigs  instantly  drew 
up  and  fired  at  the  monster,  but  without  effect,  and 
he  glided  furiously  away  toward  the  river. 


THE    PIONEER   SETTLERS.  105 

■ 

They  had  not  proceeded  far  until,  from  the  same 
thicket,  two  Indians  darted  into  their  path,  a  few 
paces  behind  them.  They  fired,  and  shot  Symonds, 
the  friend  of  Meigs,  through  the  shoulder,  who, 
immediately  on  receiving  the  wound,  rushed  to  the 
river,  and,  plunging  in,  gained,  as  well  as  he  could, 
the  middle  of  the  stream,  and,  turning  upon  his  back, 
floated  down  to  the  fort.  The  black  boy  followed 
Symonds  into  the  stream,  and  went  out  as  far  as  he 
could  wade ;  but,  being  unable  to  swim,  he  was 
caught  by  one  of  the  Indians,  who  dragged  him  to 
the  shore,  where  he  dispatched  him  with  his  toma- 
hawk, and  scalped  him.  This  he  was  obliged  to  do, 
or  lose  his  prisoner,  from  the  fact  that  a  ball  from  the 
gun  of  a  black  man,  on  the  opposite  shore,  whizzed 
close  by  the  Indian's  ear,  admonishing  him  of  his 
danger. 

After  Symonds  was  shot,  and  had  made  his 
escape,  Meigs  started  with  all  possible  speed  for 
the  fort.  What  was  his  surprise  to  find  one  of  the 
savages,  armed  with  a  rifle,  directly  in  his  path, 
waiting  his  approach!  He  had  not,  however,  had 
sufficient  time  to  reload  his  gun,  and,  with  the 
exception  of  the  tomahawk  and  scalping-knife,  they 
were  equal.  The  brave  young  man  saw  there  was 
no  time  to  lose,  and  his  life  depended  upon  a 
desperate  onset.  Clubbing  his  gun,  or,  in  other 
words,  converting  his  gun  into  a  club,  he  rushed, 


106 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


with  all  the  impetuosity  of  which  he  was  capable, 
upon  the  hideous  savage,  and  aimed  a  blow  at  his 
head.  But  the  Indian  was  prepared  in  like  man- 
ner to  receive  him,  and  blow  was  given  for  blow. 
Both  staggered,  but  neither  fell.  But  he  had  passed 
the  Indian,  and  stopping  not  for  a  second  attack, 
as  he  knew  there  were  two  of  them,  he  ran  with  all 
possible  speed  to  the  fort,  with  the  Indian  in  hot 
pursuit.  Fleet  as  was  the  Indian,  Meigs  outstripped 
him  in  the  race.  For  sixty  or  seventy  rods  they 
ran  with  almost  equal  swiftness.  There  was  a  deep 
ravine  to  cross,  which  lay  right  athwart  the  path. 
Meigs  knew  he  could  clear  it,  but  doubted  the  Indi- 
an's ability,  as  he  had  never  tried  the  feat.  Accord- 
ingly, when  he  reached  its  edge,  he  bounded  over. 
The  Indian,  seeing  the  wonderful  distance  he  jumped, 
was  astounded  at  his  activity,  and,  slackening  his 
pace  as  he  neared  the  edge,  he  threw  his  tomahawk 
with  all  the  might  and  precision  of  which  he  was 
master,  and  uttered  a  most  savage  yell.  But  it 
missed  its  mark,  and  the  bold  and  daring  pioneer 
lawyer  escaped  unhurt  into  the  fort.  Symonds  was 
picked  up  by  a  canoe,  and  recovered  of  his  wound, 
living  afterward  many  years.  Meigs  continued  on 
his  pursuit  of  the  law,  working  his  way  until,  by 
dint  of  application  and  toil,  the  sure  precursors  of 
success,  he  rose  to  eminence  at  the  bar,  and  sub- 
sequently became  governor  of  the  State  of  Ohio. 


THE   PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


107 


The  tomahawk  which  was  thrown  at  him  was 
plowed  up  in  a  field,  near  the  spot,  in  1834,  and  is 
preserved  as  a  relic  of  pioneer  life. 

The  Ohio  Company  reorganized  in  1787,  and 
petitioned  Congress  for  lands,  on  consideration  of 
a  resolution  passed  by  that  body,  to  give  to  officers 
and  soldiers  of  the  Revolution  certain  land  bounties. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  agents  of  the  company,  General 
Parsons,  General  Putnam,  and  Rev.  Manasseh  Cut- 
ler, were  appointed  directors.  They  finally  received 
a  grant  of  nearly  five  millions  of  acres ;  one  million 
and  a  half  were  for  the  use  of  the  company,  and 
the  remainder  for  private  speculation.  The  com- 
pany eventually,  however,  only  obtained  about 
seven  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  acres. 

All  the  arrangements  having  been  made  by  the 
company  in  sending  forward  boat-builders  to  the 
Ohio,  and  having  an  ordinance  passed  by  Congress 
for  the  government  of  the  Northwestern  Territory  > 
seven  hundred  troops  being  sent  out  by  the  govern- 
ment for  the  protection  of  the  settlers,  many  entered 
upon  their  westward  journey,  taking  the  Indian  path, 
or  road,  across  the  mountains.  All  that  was  neces- 
sary to  enable  them  to  begin  pioneer  life  with  they 
packed  in  wagons.  Notwithstanding  it  was  in  the 
winter  season,  they  braved  the  terrors  of  the  wil- 
derness, and  many  families  urged  their  way  across 
the  dangerous  and  dreary  path,  submitting  cheer- 


108 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


fully  to  all  hardships,  in  hopes  of  reaching,  ere  the 
spring  should  open  its  flowers,  the  broad  and  beauti- 
ful valleys  of  their  Western  home.  When  the 
various  emigrant  bands  which  had  started,  arrived 
at  Wheeling,  on  the  Ohio,  they  found  boats  in 
readiness  to  take  them  down  the  river  to  the  place 
of  destination.  There  were  forty-eight  in  all,  and 
a  more  intelligent,  enterprising  association,  never 
was  formed  for  any  purpose.  They  were  coming 
out  to  found  an  empire  in  the  West ;  and  well  did 
Washington  remark,  in  relation  to  them,  "No 
colony  in  America  was  ever  settled  tinder  such 
favorable  auspices." 

Peacefully  their  barque,  the  "May  Flower,"  for 
that  was  its  name,  floated  on  the  waters  of  La 
Belle  Riviere,  following  its  graceful  meanderings, 
and  passing  its  many  beautiful  islands,  in  the  spring 
of  1788.  At  length  the  voyagers  near  the  spot,  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  river,  where  they  are  to  land. 
Before  them,  on  a  bluff  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mus- 
kingum, Fort  Harmar  rears  its  crest,  bristling  with 
guns,  which  command  the  river.  But  no  hostile 
foe  approaches.  They  are  friends  and  brethren,  and 
are  coming  to  take  possession  of  the  ancient  forti- 
fications, on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  Muskingum, 
and  build  up  a  city  on  the  monumental  ruins  of  a 
race  long  since  passed  away. 

It  is  the  seventh  day  of  April,  and  the  blossoms 


THE   PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


109 


which  line  the  banks  smile  them  welcome  to  the 
"West  as  they  land ;  and  fathers,  mothers,  husbands, 
wives,  brothers,  sisters,  veterans  of  the  Revolution, 
with  military  honors  clustering  around  them;  phy- 
sicians, lawyers,  venerable  divines,  scholars,  artists, 
and  farmers,  step  upon  the  shore,  and  take  possession 
of  their  long-desired  home.  They  pitched  their  tents 
and  erected  their  cabins;  and  the  time  passed  joy- 
ously away,  nothing  occurring  to  mar  their  happiness 
or  damp  their  joys. 

On  the  second  day  of  July,  a  meeting  of  the  di- 
rectors and  agents  was  held  on  the  banks  of  the 
Muskingum,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  a  name  to 
the  city  in  the  West.  They  had  erected  a  fort  on 
the  site  of  an  ancient  fortification,  for  their  protec- 
tion, and  had  laid  out  the  town  into  squares,  the 
streets  crossing  each  other  at  right  angles.  The 
name  finally  agreed  upon  was  Marietta,  in  honor  of 
Marie  Antoinette,  Queen  of  France.  The  square  on 
which  the  block-house  stood  they  called  Campus 
Martins.  An  elevated  square,  north  and  east  of 
this,  they  denominated  Capitolium;  still  another,  the 
Quadranou,  they  called  Cecelia.  The  covert  way, 
composed  of  high  parallel  walls  of  earth,  leading 
down  to  the  Muskingum,  was  named  Sacra  Via. 

On  the  fourth  day  of  July,  the  ever-memorable 
anniversary  of  the  nation's  independence,  an  oration 
was  delivered,  in  honor  of  the  day,  by  the  Hon.  James 


110 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


H.  Varnum,  who,  with  Hon.  Messrs.  Parsons  and 
Armstrong,  were  appointed  to  the  judicial  bench  of 
the  territory  the  year  previous.  It  was  an  interesting 
occasion.  They  were  all  one  party,  and  no  differ- 
ences of  opinion  could  exist,  such  as  now,  unhappily, 
in  too  many  instances,  are  found  to  divide  the  festivi- 
ties of  this  natal  day.  The  day  was  celebrated  at  the 
fort,  under  the  direction  of  General  Harmar ;  and  as 
the  boom  of  the  six-pounder  rolled  over  the  waters, 
and  sent  its  far-reaching  thunder  echoing  among 
the  hills,  and  waking  the  surrounding  solitudes,  the 
voyagers  by  land  and  river  felt  their  hearts  dance 
within  them  for  joy,  and  realized  a  full  compensation 
for  all  the  toils  and  hardships  of  their  eight  weeks' 
journey  through  the  wilderness. 

We  have  already  alluded  to  Fort  Washington, 
farther  down  the  Ohio,  situated  between  the  two 
Miamis,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Licking  River,  in  Ken- 
tucky, which  latter  circumstance  gave  to  the  town 
which  was  built  around  the  fort  the  classic  name  of 
Losantiville — L'os  anti  ville.  General  Harmar,  as 
we  have  before  seen,  having  been  ordered  to  Fort 
Washington,  with  his  troops,  in  1789,  the  settlers 
who  came  in  commenced  the  erection  of  their  cabins. 
At  this  time,  exclusive  of  the  fort,  there  were  but 
two.  The  first-appointed  governor  of  the  territory, 
Arthur  St.  Clair,  having  arrived  and  established  a 
provisional  government,  and  arrangements  having 


THE  PIONEER  SETTLERS.  Ill 

been  made  for  tlie  peace  and  happiness  of  the  com- 
munity, the  governor  changed  the  name  of  the  town 
from  Losantiville  to  Cincinnati. 

The  Indians  being  engaged  in  committing  depreda- 
tions, and  killing  many  of  the  settlers,  in  the  Miami 
country,  it  was  necessary  that  a  force  should  be  sent 
out  to  put  them  in  check.  Accordingly,  General 
Harmar  sent  out  a  company  of  militia,  under  Colonel 
Hardin,  from  the  fort,  and  soon  after  started  himself, 
with  a  large  body  of  regular  soldiers.  The  first  en- 
campment was  made  abou!  seven  miles  from  Fort 
Washington,  on  a  branch  of  Mill  Creek.  Next,  they 
encamped  on  the  waters  of  Muddy  Creek,  a  tributary 
of  the  Miami.  At  the  next  encampment,  near  where 
the  town  of  Waynesville  now  stands,  they  overtook 
Colonel  Hardin's  company.  Their  next  encampment 
was  near  Xenia;  and  from  thence  they  passed  on, 
encamping  at  regular  intervals,  until  they  reached 
Chillicothe,  an  old  deserted  Indian  village  of  the 
Shawnees,  on  the  Maumee  River.  From  thence  they 
took  a  northwesterly  direction,  and  crossing  the  Mad 
River,  they  continued  until  they  came  to  the  Great 
Miami,  and  pursued  their  march  to  the  Auglaize 
River.  After  crossing  this  river,  they  were  joined 
by  a  reinforcement  from  Cincinnati.  Having  arrived 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  Indians,  Colonel  Hardin  was 
sent  forward  with  a  detachment,  and  charged  with 
the  destruction  of  all  the  Indian  towns  on  the  Man- 


112  PIONEERS  OF   THE  WEST. 


mee.  The  main  body,  continuing  its  course,  joined 
Hardin  again  at  Omee  (Maumee)  Town,  which  had 
been  burned  and  deserted  by  the  savages.  Much 
corn  was  found  buried  by  the  Indians  in  the  thickets. 
While  reconnoitering  in  the  vicinity  of  these  towns,  of 
which  there  were  several  in  number,  the  Indians  at 
night  succeeded  in  stealing  a  large  number  of  the 
horses  of  the  army,  and  it  was  evident  that  they 
were  secreted  in  the  woods.  A  backwoods  strata- 
gem was  resorted  to  for  the  purpose  of  entrapping 
them.  A  horse  was  taken  a  short  distance  down  the 
Maumee,  and,  being  fettered,  the  party  who  took  him 
secreted  themselves  in  the  woods.  It  was  not  long 
until  he  was  found  by  the  Indians.  While  engaged  in 
taking  off  his  fetters,  they  were  shot  by  the  soldiers  in 
ambush.  The  report  of  the  rifles  reached  the  camp, 
and  soon  a  large  number  of  troops  were  at  the  place. 
One  of  the  Indians  killed  was  a  Delaware  chief. 

The  army  committed  all  the  depredations  they 
could,  destroying  the  towns,  and  burning  up  thou- 
sands of  bushels  of  corn  which  they  could  not  carry 
away,  and  then  returned  to  Chillicothe.  A  detach- 
ment, however,  was  sent  further  west,  in  pursuit  of 
the  Indians.  This  detachment  consisted  of  a  com- 
pany of  regulars,  commanded  by  Captain  Armstrong, 
and  a  company  of  Kentucky  militia.  They  con 
tinued  their  march  until  they  were  all  united  under 
Colonel  Hardin,  who  ordered  Captain  Faulkner,  of 


THE  PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


113 


the  Pennsylvania  militia,  to  form  on  his  left.  At 
length  the  companies  came  upon  the  encampment  of 
the  savages.  This  encampment  was  well  chosen  for 
safety,  as  each  entire  side  of  it  was  cut  off  from 
the  enemy  by  a  deep  swamp,  having  barely  solid 
ground  enough  to  reach  it  at  one  point.  The  militia 
were  two  hundred  in  number,  and  being  anxious  for 
the  conflict,  that  they  might  be  revenged  for  the 
wrongs  they  and  the  pioneer  settlers  had  sustained, 
they  made  a  charge  upon  the  encampment ;  but  it 
was  returned  by  a  deadly  fire  from  a  large  body 
of  savage  warriors.  The  lines  were  broken ;  and  so 
desperate  was  the  conflict  that,  in  a  few  minutes, 
fifty-two  of  Hardin's  company  were  killed.  In  their 
flight  they  met  Major  Fountain,  with  a  company  of 
regulars,  who,  giving  the  pursuers  battle,  they  were 
forced  to  retire,  and  the  survivors  arrived  safe  in 
the  camp.  This  battle  was  fought  about  twelve 
miles  west  of  Fort  Wayne,  in  Indiana.  Captain 
Armstrong  being  pursued,  plunged  into  the  swamp, 
and  remained  buried  up  to  his  chin  in  mud  and 
water  through  the  entire  night,  and  was  com- 
pelled to  listen  to  the  midnight  yells  and  orgies  of 
the  savages  around  the  bodies  of  the  slain.  When 
daylight  approached  they  retired  to  rest;  and  the 
captain,  chilled  and  overcome  with  fatigue,  extricated 
himself,  and,  crawling  into  a  ravine,  he  was  obliged 
to  kindle  a  fire  to  restore  feeling  to  his  benumbed 


114  PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


limbs,  wliicli  he  was  enabled  to  do  with  his  tinder- 
box,  which  he  had  upon  his  person.  After  warming 
and  drying  himself  as  well  as  he  could,  he  started 
for  the  camp,  which  he  reached  in  safety,  much  to 
the  joy  of  his  fellow-soldiers,  who  thought  him  among 
the  slain. 

The  army  having  been  out  now  nearly  a  month, 
they  left  Chillicothe,  and  started  for  the  fort  at  Cin- 
cinnati. On  their  way  a  scouting  party  ascertained 
that  the  Indians  had  returned  to  Omee  Town.  Har- 
din was  again  dispatched  to  give  them  battle.  He 
divided  his  force  into  two  parties;  the  one  com- 
manded by  himself  was  to  attack  the  Indians  in 
front,  and  the  other  in  the  rear.  As  soon  as  the 
Indians  saw  their  enemies,  they  began  instantly  to 
prepare  for  battle.  They  were  on  the  opposite  bank 
of  the  Maumee ;  and  as  their  numbers  were  greater 
than  Hardin's  company,  he  saw  at  once  the  necessity 
of  crossing  immediately,  and  giving  them  battle. 
Before  he  had  gained  the  opposite  shore  the  battle 
commenced.  The  desperation  of  the  savages  was 
greater  than  ever  known  before.  They  even  threw 
away  their  rifles,  and,  taking  their  tomahawks,  they 
rushed  like  madmen  upon  their  foes,  carrying  de- 
struction in  their  path.  Major  Fountain  fell  in  the 
engagement,  being  pierced  with  fourteen  balls,  and 
Major  Willys,  with  fifty-one  of  his  bravest  men, 
was  subjected  to  the  same  fate.    Death  spread  into 


THE  PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


115 


the  other  divisions,  and  it  seemed  as  though  the 
whole  force  would  be  destroyed. 

But  where  was  the  division  that  was  to  attack  the 
enemy  in  the  rear?  Until  this  hour  nothing  was  heard 
from  them,  and  the  brave  men  fought  on  in  hopes  of 
their  speedy  arrival.  They  became  lost  in  the  thicket, 
and  only  arrived  when  the  battle  was  about  to  turn 
on  the  side  of  the  savages.  They  were  not,  however, 
able  to  turn  the  tide  of  war;  and  only  arrived  in 
time  to  save  an  utter  extermination  of  the  brave 
troops  which  remained,  and  allow  them,  under  cover 
of  their  protection,  to  retire  from  the  field. 

A  most  affecting  incident  occurred  at  the  crossing 
of  the  river,  previous  to  the  general  engagement.  An 
Indian  father,  with  his  two  sons,  were  in  the  river,  near 
the  opposite  shore,  when  a  ball  from  the  rifle  of  one  of 
the  soldiers  pierced  the  elder,  and  he  fell.  The  father 
instantly  dropped  his  rifle,  and  taking  his  dead  son 
in  his  arms,  was  hastening  with  him  to  the  shore,  to 
get  out  of  the  reach  of  the  white  men;  but,  alas! 
another  deadly  aim  had  been  taken,  and  the  other 
son  fell  lifeless  by  his  side.  Shifting  the  elder  to 
his  left  arm,  he  grasped  the  younger,  and  bearing  them 
to  the  shore,  he  sat  down  on  the  beach  between  his 
murdered  boys,  and  resting  his  head  upon  his  hands,  in 
deep  but  silent  agony,  he  awaited  his  own  fate.  Such 
affection  and  such  heroism  should  have  moved  the 
hearts  of  any  foe;  but  it  was  not  enough  that  the 


116 


PIONEERS  OF    THE  WEST. 


poor  father  had  lost  both  his  sons — the  one  the  joy 
of  his  heart,  and  the  other  the  light  of  his  eyes — 
he,  too,  must  share  the  same  sad  fate,  and  the 
father  was  soon  numbered  with  his  dead.  Alas 
for  poor  humanity ! 

"  That  mercy  I  to  others  show, 
That  mercy  show  to  me.1' 

No  wonder  that  the  Indians  fought  with  a  despera- 
tion to  which  they  were  before  strangers.  Fearfully 
was  the  death  of  that  aged  chieftain  and  his  boys 
avenged. 

After  this  disastrous  defeat  under  Harmar,  Gov- 
ernor St.  Clair  assumed  the  command  of  the  army, 
and  proceeded  to  make  preparations  for  another 
attack.  In  the  mean  time,  a  detachment  from  Ken- 
tucky, headed  by  General  Scott,  arrived,  and  taking 
Colonel  Hardin  as  a  guide  and  commander,  they 
pushed  their  way  to  the  Indian  settlements  on  the 
Wabash,  and  in  several  engagements  were  complete- 
ly successful  in  routing  the  savages  and  destroying 
their  towns. 

St.  Clair  receiving  instructions  from  the  president 
to  organize  an  army  of  three  thousand,  for  regular 
service  at  Cincinnati,  at  once  engaged  in  the  work. 
It  being  important  to  establish  a  fort  at  the  Miami 
village,  two  thousand  regular  soldiers,  exclusive  of 
militia,  were  removed  from  Fort  Washington  to  Lud- 


THE  PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


117 


low's  Station,  six  miles  from  Cincinnati,  where  tliey 
remained  for  some  time,  and  from  thence  removed 
to  Hamilton,  twenty  miles  from  Cincinnati,  where 
they  built  the  first  in  the  proposed  chain  of  fortresses 
for  the  protection  of  the  frontier.  After  this  was 
completed  and  manned,  they  proceeded  on  forty 
miles  further,  and  erected  Fort  Jefferson,  about  six 
miles  south  of  the  town  of  Greenville.  After  the 
completion  of  the  fort  the  governor  ordered  the  army 
to  march,  and  they  entered  the  wilderness.  The 
army  by  this  time,  in  consequence  of  sickness  and 
desertions,  growing  out  of  the  hard  service  and  poor 
fare,  became  much  thinned  and  quite  dispirited.  Aft- 
er marching  for  several  days,  on  the  third  of  Novem- 
ber, 1791,  they  reached  a  branch  of  the  Wabash,  not 
far  from  the  head  waters  of  that  river,  on  the  banks 
of  which  they  formed  their  encampment.  The  mili- 
tia were  encamped  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  creek, 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant.  The  place  of  en- 
campment was  about  fifteen  miles  from  the  Miami 
village. 

The  Indians,  aware  of  the  advance  of  the  enemy, 
having  watched  their  movements  ever  since  leaving 
Cincinnati,  by  means  of  their  spies,  had  by  this  time 
gathered  all  their  forces  from  the  surrounding  coun- 
try, and  were  in  readiness  to  give  them  battle.  They 
were  aware  it  would  require  all  the  strength  and 
power  of  their  allied  forces,  and  they  made  prepara- 


118 


PIONEERS    OF   THE  WEST. 


tions  accordingly.  They  knew  the  strength  and  con- 
dition of  the  army,  and  could  calculate  with  far 
greater  certainty  on  the  probabilities  of  success  than 
the  most  experienced  American  officer  in  a  wilder- 
ness fight. 

Before  sunrise,  on  the  morning  of  the  fourth,  the 
militia  were  attacked,  and  so  sudden  and  desperate 
was  the  onset,  that  they  were  soon  overpowered  and 
driven  into  the  general  encampment.  They  were 
hotly  pursued  by  the  Indians ;  and,  notwithstanding 
the  confusion  and  disorder  created  by  the  retreat, 
they  received  a  galling  fire.  But  soon  the  whole 
encampment,  extending  three  hundred  and  fifty  yards 
along  the  bank  of  the  creek,  was  surrounded.  They 
poured  into  the  center  of  the  encampment,  where  the 
artillery  was  placed ;  though  they  were  mowed  down 
by  the  heavy  fire,  their  ranks  were  filled,  and  with 
great  slaughter  they  drove  the  artillery  from  their 
post.  At  this  they  resorted  to  the  bayonet,  which  for 
a  while  seemed  to  do  execution,  and  a  general  charge 
drove  them  back  three  or  four  hundred  yards.  But 
they  rallied,  and  coming  on  with  greater  force  than 
ever,  again  a  fierce  and  bloody  contest  ensued,  in 
which  Major  Butler,  of  the  Second  Regiment,  was 
dangerously  wounded,  and  every  officer  but  one  of 
his  staff  was  lying  dead  upon  the  field.  It  being  im- 
possible to  continue  the  fight  any  longer,  except  at 
the  expense  of  the  total  extermination  of  the  army, 


THE   PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


119 


the  remainder  retreated  as  well  as  they  could,  forcing 
their  way  through  the  enemies'  lines;  and  thus  was 
the  sad  and  melancholy  defeat  of  Harmar  followed 
by  that  of  St.  Clair.  Subsequent  events  brought 
to  light  the  fact,  that  the  renowned  chief  Little  Tur- 
tle was  the  leader  in  both  these  campaigns.  Thus 
continued  expedition  after  expedition,  attended  with 
greater  or  less  success,  until  General  Wayne,  called 
by  the  Indians  "  Mad  Anthony,"  took  the  field,  and 
by  his  daring  and  bravery  conquered  the  foe,  and 
succeeded  in  concluding  a  treaty  of  peace  at  Green- 
ville, on  the  third  of  August,  1795. 

A  settlement  was  made  at  Columbia,  a  few  miles 
above  Cincinnati,  by  a  company  of  twenty-six, 
in  November,  1788.  Here  the  first  church  was 
built  that  is  known  of  in  the  Northwestern  Territory. 
Many  thrilling  incidents  are  connected  with  the 
early  settlement  of  this  place,  as  well  as  that  of 
Cincinnati.  They  were  then  separated  by  a  dense 
forest,  but  now  they  are  connected  by  continuous 
rows  of  dwelling  and  business  houses. 

The  scenery  of  the  Ohio,  between  Columbia  and 
Cincinnati,  was  in  those  days  truly  romantic ; 
scarcely  a  tree  had  been  cut  on  either  side,  be- 
tween the  mouth  of  Crawfish  and  that  of  Deer 
Creek,  a  distance  of  more  than  four  miles.  The 
sand-bar  now  extending  from  its  left  bank,  opposite 
to  Sportsman's  Hall,  was  then  a  small  island,  be- 


120 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


tween  which  and  the  Kentucky  shore  was  a  nar- 
row channel,  with  sufficient  depth  of  water  for  the 
passage  of  boats.  The  upper  and  lower  points  of 
this  island  were  bare;  but  its  center,  embracing 
about  four  acres,  was  covered  with  small  cotton 
wood,  and  surrounded  by  willows  extending  along 
its  sides  almost  down  to  the  water's  edge.  The 
right  bank  of  the  river,  crowned  with  its  lofty 
hills,  now  gradually  ascending,  and  now  rising 
abruptly  to  their  summits,  anci  forming  a  vast 
amphitheater,  was  from  Columbia,  extending  down 
about  two  miles,  very  steep,  and  covered  with 
trees  quite  down  to  the  beach.  From  thence, 
nearly  opposite  the  foot  of  the  island,  its  ascent 
became  more  gradual,  and  for  two  miles  farther 
down,  bordering  the  tall  trees  with  which  it  was 
covered,  was  a  thick  growth  of  willows,  through 
which,  in  many  places,  it  was  difficult  to  penetrate. 
Below  this  the  beach  was  wide  and  stony,  with 
only  here  and  there  a  small  tuft  of  willows,  while 
the  wood  on  the  side  and  on  the  top  of  the  bank 
was  more  open.  Not  far  from  this  bank,  and  near 
the  line  of  the  present  turnpike,  was  a  narrow  road, 
leading  from  Columbia  to  Cincinnati,  just  wide 
enough  for  the  passage  of  a  wagon,  which,  wind- 
ing round  the  point  of  the  hill  above  Deer  Creek, 
descended  northwardly  about  four  hundred  feet, 
and  crossing  that  creek,  and  in  a  southerly  direc- 


THE   PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


121 


tion  ascending  gradually  its  western  bank,  led  along 
the  ground,  now  Symmes-street,  directly  toward 
Fort  Washington,  and  diverging  at  the  intersection 
of  Lawrence-street  to  the  right  and  left  of  the  fort, 
entered  the  town. 

An  incident  occurred  in  this  vicinity  of  a  thrilling 
character,  in  the  summer  of  1792,  which  resulted 
in  the  capture,  by  Indians,  of  O.  C.  Spencer. 

Spencer,  as  he  tells  us  in  his  own  narrative,  had 
got  on  board  a  canoe  at  the  bank  in  front  of  Fort 
"Washington,  which  was  just  ready  to  put  oif  from 
the  shore  on  the  afternoon  of  the  7th  of  July.  It 
was  a  small  craft,  and  hardly  fit  to  accommodate 
the  party,  which  consisted  of  a  Mr.  Jacob  Light, 
a  Mr.  Clayton,  Mrs.  Coleman,  young  Spencer,  a 
boy  of  thirteen,  and  one  of  the  garrison  soldiers, 
which  last  individual,  being  much  intoxicated, 
lurched  from  one  side  of  the  canoe  to  the  other, 
and  finally,  by  the  time  they  had  got  up  a  short 
distance  above  Deer  Creek,  tumbled  out,  nearly 
oversetting  the  whole  party.  He  then  reached  the 
shore,  the  water  not  being  very  deep  at  the  spot. 
Spencer  did  not  know  how  to  swim,  and  had  be- 
come afraid  to  continue  in  the  canoe,  and  was 
therefore,  at  his  own  request,  put  on  shore  where 
they  left  the  soldier;  and  the  party  in  the  boat, 
and  Spencer  on  shore,  proceeded  side  by  side. 
Light  propelled  the  boat  forward  with  a  pole,  while 


122 


PIONEERS    OF    THE  WEST. 


Clayton  sat  at  the  stern,  with  a  paddle,  which  he 
sometimes  used  as  an  oar  and  sometimes  as  a  rud- 
der, and  Mrs.  Coleman,  a  woman  of  fifty  years,  sat 
in  the  middle  of  the  boat.  One  mile  above  Deer 
Creek,  a  party  of  market  people,  with  a  woman 
and  child  on  board  a  canoe,  passed  them  on  their 
way  to  Cincinnati.  Light  and  the  others  had 
rounded  the  point  of  a  small  cove,  less  than  a  mile 
below  the  foot  of  the  island,  and  proceeded  a  few 
hundred  yards  along  the  close  willows  here  border- 
ing the  beach,  at  about  two  rods'  distance  from  tho 
water,  when  Clayton,  looking  back,  discovered  th(> 
drunken  man  staggering  along  the  shore,  and  re- 
marked that  he  would  be  "bait  for  Indians? 
Hardly  had  he  made  the  remark,  when  two  rifle 
shots  from  the  rear  of  the  willows  struck  Light  and 
his  comrade,  causing  the  latter  to  fall  toward  the 
shore,  and  wounding  the  other  by  the  ball  glancing 
from  the  oar.  The  two  Indians  who  had  fired, 
instantly  rushed  from  their  concealment  to  scalp 
the  dead,  and  impede  the  escape  of  the  living. 
Clayton  was  scalped,  and  Spencer,  in  spite  of  all 
his  efforts  to  get  off,  was  made  prisoner ;  but  Light 
soon  swam  out  of  reach  of  his  pursuers,  and  Mrs. 
Coleman,  who  had  also  jumped  out,  preferring  to 
be  drowned  to  falling  into  the  hands  of  Indians, 
floated  some  distance  off.  The  Indians  would  prob- 
ably have  reloaded  and  fired,  but  the  report  of 


THE  PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


123 


their  rifles  brought  persons  to  the  opposite  shore, 
and,  fearing  to  create  further  alarm,  they  decamped 
with  their  young  prisoner  in  haste,  saying,  "  Squaw 
must  drown."  Light  had  first  made  for  the  Ken- 
tucky shore,  but,  finding  himself  drifting  under  all 
the  exertions  he  could  make  in  his  crippled  state, 
directed  his  way  out  on  the  Ohio  side.  Mrs.  Cole- 
man followed  as  well  as  she  could  by  the  use  of 
her  hands  as  paddles,  and  they  both  got  to  shore 
some  distance  below  the  scene  of  these  events. 
Light  had  barely  got  out  when  he  fell,  so  much 
exhausted  that  he  could  not  speak ;  but,  after  vomit- 
ing blood,  at  length  came  to.  Mrs.  Coleman  floated 
nearly  a  mile,  and,  when  she  reached  the  shore, 
walked  down  the  path  to  Cincinnati,  and  crossed  Deer 
Creek  at  its  mouth,  holding  on  to  the  willows  which 
overhung  its  banks,  the  water  there,  in  those  days, 
flowing  in  a  narrow  current  that  might  almost  be 
cleared  by  a  spring  from  one  bank  to  the  other. 
She  went  direct  to  Captain  Thorp,  at  the  artificer's 
yard,  with  whose  lady  she  was  acquainted,  and  from 
whom  she  obtained  a  change  of  clothes,  and  rested 
a  day  or  two  to  overcome  her  fatigue. 

In  the  mean  time  other  settlements  were  being 
made  in  different  parts  of  the  Western  country;  but 
as  the  history  of  any  one  of  them  would,  of  itself, 
make  a  book  larger  than  the  one  we  contemplate, 

we  can  only  refer  to  them,  giving  the  merest  outline, 

8 


124 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


with,  some  incidents  connected  with,  their  history, 
which  may  serve  as  landmarks  to  the  future  historian 
who  may  wish  to  enter  into  detail. 

Perhaps  one  of  the  most  interesting,  if  not  roman- 
tic, settlements  made  in  the  West,  was  that  effected 
by  the  French,  in  the  spring  of  1792.  While  Wil- 
kinson, who  had  succeeded  St.  Clair  in  command  of 
the  army,  was  examining  the  field  of  carnage  where 
the  soldiers  from  Cincinnati  fell,  and  General  Rufus 
Putnam,  the  pioneer  of  Marietta,  in  company  with 
the  pioneer  missionary,  Heckewelder,  was  endeavor- 
ing to  effect  a  peace  with  the  Indians,  a  large  num- 
ber of  families  from  Paris,  in  all  four  hundred, 
having  descended  the  Ohio,  which  their  countrymen 
at  Port  Du  Quesne  had  named  La  Belle  Hiviere^ 
landed  at  a  point  four  miles  below,  the  mouth  of  the 
Great  Kanawha.  Among  the  number  were  priests, 
lawyers,  physicians,  watchmakers,  jewelers,  portrait 
and  landscape  painters,  carvers,  lapidaries,  engravers, 
engineers,  dyers,  carpenters,  ship-builders,  and  other 
trades.  It  was  unfortunate  for  them  that  they  had 
but  few  among  them  who  understood  anything  about 
cultivating  the  soil,  and  these  were  hired  to  accom- 
pany them,  while  not  one  of  them  knew  anything 
about  life  in  the  woods,  never  having  reared  a  cabin 
or  cleared  an  acre. 

The  company  which  sold  them  the  land,  in  Paris, 
having  agreed,  on  the  payment  of  one  French  crown 


THE  PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


125 


per  acre,  to  transport  them  across  the  country  free  of 
cost,  and  have  erected  for  their  reception  suitable 
houses,  they  proceeded  on  their  way  with  that  joy 
and  hilarity  characteristic  of  the  French  people.  As 
we  have  already  intimated,  they  had  arrived  at  their 
place  of  destination,  and  were  about  to  take  pos- 
session of  their  distant  Western  home.  When  they 
entered  Gallvpolisj  the  French  city,  what  was  their 
astonishment  to  find,  instead  of  a  beautiful  village, 
with  its  neat  cottages,  and  trees,  and  flowers,  rows  of 
unhewn  log-cabins,  with  wooden  chimneys,  clap- 
board roofs,  and  puncheon  floors,  three  of  which, 
all  of  the  same  size,  ranging  on  each  side,  con- 
stituted a  street,  extending  in  length  about  one 
hundred  feet,  at  each  extremity  of  which  were 
erected  two  log  stockades,  for  their  protection.  In 
the  rear  of  the  town — where  they  had  been  informed 
gracefully  meandered,  among  beds  of  living  green, 
and  flowers  of  every  hue,  a  pearly  brook — they  found 
the  muddy  Ohickamauga  Creek,  with  its  red  clay 
banks,  covered  with  burs,  briers,  and  Canada 
ihistle. 

This  was  the  country  which  had  been  represented 
to  them  in  Paris,  as  being  watered  by  the  "  beautiful 
river,  abounding  in  fish  of  enormous  size,  magnificent 
forests,  containing  trees  from  which  the  sugar  flowed 
in  abundance,  and  shrubs  which  yielded  candles, 
venison  in  greatest  plenty,  without  foxes,  wolves, 


126 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


lions,  or  tigers ;  no  taxes  to  pay,  no  military  enroll- 
ments, no  quarters  to  find  for  soldiers." 

They  had  been  betrayed,  basely  betrayed,  by  the 
soulless  speculator.  Finding  themselves  deceived  in 
all  the  representations  of  the  agent  of  the  company, 
they  began  to  think  that  even  the  beggarly  inherit- 
ance they  had  purchased  was  itself  a  fraud ;  and  such 
proved  the  fact.  Their  deeds  were  not  worth  a 
farthing;  and  they  found  themselves  homeless  and 
penniless  in  a  strange  land.  Notwithstanding  all 
this,  true  to  the  French  character,  they  did  not  yield 
to  despair.  They  were  not  without  their  dancing- 
masters  and  their  violins;  and  the  hours  of  night 
were  made  glad  with  the  merry  dance.  But  they 
were  here,  and  they  must  make  a  living.  The 
"  magnificent  forests,"  consisting  of  huge  sycamores 
and  elms,  must  be  felled,  and  a  spot  cleared  for  the 
cultivation  of  the  soil ;  but  what  could  carvers,  and 
gilders,  and  coachmakers,  with  their  feeble  instru- 
ments, accomplish  in  felling  these  mighty  trees,  whose 
giant  arms  spread  out  on  all  sides?  No  time,  how- 
ever, was  to  be  lost,  and  at  it  they  went,  surrounding 
the  mighty  trunk ;  and  with  picking,  and  cutting,  and 
hacking,  they  worked  away.  While  thus  engaged, 
one  man  was  stationed  at  some  distance  from  the 
tree,  that,  when  they  had  nearly  hacked  their  way 
through  it,  he  might,  by  its  inclination,  ascertain  the 
direction  in  which  it  would  fall.    When  the  hour 


THE    PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


127 


arrived,  or  rather  the  fatal  moment  came,  for  the  fall 
of  the  monarch  of  the  Ohio,  the  sentinel  gave  a  loud, 
French  yell,  and  instantly  every  man  took  to  his 
heels  to  escape  the  crashing  monster.  Unfortunately, 
some  would  run  in  the  direction  of  the  falling  tree, 
and  would  be  crushed  to  death,  while  others  would 
be  caught  by  the  wide-spreading  limbs.  Had  they 
remained  by  the  trunk,  and  watched  the  direction  of 
the  falling  tree,  they  would  have  escaped  all  danger ; 
but  this  was  a  secret  in  woodcraft  to  which  they  were 
strangers. 

When  the  tree  was  down,  they  fell  to  work  to 
cutting  off  the  limbs ;  but  having  accomplished  this, 
they  knew  not  what  to  do  with  the  enormous  trunk, 
that  cumbered  the  ground  vastly  more  than  when 
standing.  At  length  they  hit  upon  the  expedient  of 
burying  it :  a  work  as  useless  as  it  was  laborious,  so 
far  as  clearing  the  ground  was  concerned.  For  days 
they  would  toil  in  digging  its  grave,  and,  after  get- 
ting all  things  in  readiness,  the  whole  force  of  the 
city  would  be  summoned  to  heave  the  conquered 
giant  of  the  woods  into  the  ditch  they  had  dug  for 
him.  Finding  their  present  mode  of  operation  a 
dangerous  one,  they  adopted  another,  which  was  to 
send  a  man  up  the  tree  they  intended  to  cut  down, 
with  a  rope;  and,  making  it  fast  above,  leave  the 
other  end  on  the  ground.  When  the  tree  was  nearly 
cut  through,  all  hands  would  go  beyond  its  reach, 


128 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


and,  pulling  at  the  rope,  would  bring  the  tree  down 
in  the  direction  they  wanted  it.  One  good  back- 
woodsman with  his  ax  would  accomplish  as  much 
in  one  day,  and  perhaps  more,  without  fatigue  and 
without  danger,  than  a  whole  company  of  these  Pari- 
sians. Instead  of  cutting  up  the  tops  and  branches 
into  fire-wood,  they  were  cut  up  and  thrown  into 
heaps,  and  burned.  Delicate  young  men,  who  had 
spent  their  early  life  in  the  schools  of  Paris,  joined 
with  the  rest  in  this  laborious  toil;  and  after  laboring 
hard  for  a  year,  received  one  third  of  an  acre  of  the 
cleared  land  as  a  recompense. 

Disheartened  and  sad,  many  of  them  removed  to 
French  settlements  elsewhere  in  the  country;  but 
the  majority  of  them  remained  and  toiled  on.  They 
wrote  to  Washington  their  grievances,  and  we  have 
seen  his  autograph  reply,  in  which  he  sympathized 
with  them,  and  demonstrated  his  sincerity  by  ex- 
erting his  influence  in  their  behalf  with  Congress. 
They  came  in  the  midst  of  the  Indian  wars  which 
were  desolating  the  country,  and  five  of  their  num- 
ber wTere  taken  into  captivity  by  the  savages.  In 
addition  to  all  their  troubles  here,  they  heard  of  the 
carnage  of  the  infidel  revolution,  that  was  filling 
their  beloved  fatherland  with  the  slain.  Sickness 
also  came  upon  them.  A  stagnant  marsh  behind 
the  town,  near  the  borders  of  the  "translucent  Chick- 
amauga,"  sent  up  ita  miasma,  and  many  died.  Food 


THE    PIONEER  SETTLERS.  129 


was  scarce,  and  they  had  to  depend  mostly  upon  the 
trading  boats  on  the  river  for  provisions,  for  which 
they  had  to  pay  the  most  exorbitant  prices.  Their 
means  were  becoming  day  by  day  exhausted,  and 
the  future  wore  a  most  gloomy  aspect.  Nor  yet  did 
they  give  way  to  melancholy.  Twice  each  week  they 
came  together  and  joined  in  the  dance,  and 

"  All  went  merry  as  a  marriage  bell." 

Thus  they  danced  away  hunger  as  well  as  dull  care. 
The  Indians,  who  would  lurk  in  the  thickets  and 
prowl  around  at  night,  chanced  once  to  hear  their 
music  and  the  sound  of  their  rejoicing;  and  though 
they  had  been  sent  as  spies  in  advance  of  a  contem- 
plated attack,  they  returned  with  the  intelligence 
that  the  pale  faces  would  be  upon  them,  as  they  had 
heard  them  at  their  war-dance. 

Congress,  however,  came  to  their  relief,  and  in 
1795  made  to  them  a  grant  of  land  containing  twen- 
ty-four thousand  acres,  on  the  Ohio,  opposite  Little 
Sandy.  To  this  liberal  grant  was  subsequently  added 
twelve  hundred  additional  acres,  since  known  as  the 
"French  Grant."  The  French  had  continued  to  oc- 
cupy their  city;  and,  as  they  became  acquainted  with 
the  country  and  modes  of  life,  they  overcame  the  ob- 
stacles by  which  they  were  surrounded.  The  old  log- 
houses,  in  process  of  time,  gave  place  to  good  sub- 
stantial frame  and  brick  dwellings.    A  large  and 


130 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


beautiful  court-house  lias  taken  the  place  of  the  old 
one,  the  morasses  have  been  filled  up,  the  streets  and 
landings  graded  and  paved,  churches  and  school  edi- 
fices have  been  erected,  and  a  large  and  enterprising 
population  now  occupies  the  site  of  the  gay  and  hap- 
py French  emigrants  who  toiled,  amid  the  greatest 
disasters  and  discouragements,  to  leave  an  inheritance 
for  their  children. 

But  we  must  return  to  the  pioneers  on  the  Muskin- 
gum, (the  Indian  name  for  Elk's  eye,)  who  effected  the 
first  permanent  settlement  in  the  Ohio  valley.  This 
company  of  emigrants  possessed  greater  elements  of 
strength,  and  were  better  adapted  for  laying  the 
foundations  of  Western  empire,  than,  perhaps,  any 
other  that  ever  turned  their  attention  to  the  "West. 
Unlike  the  gay,  mercurial  Frenchman,  they  belong- 
ed to  a  sterner  and  sturdier  race,  having  grown  up 
amid  the  toils  and  hardships  of  a  life  in  the  new 
world.  While  they  brought  with  them  farmers  and 
tradesmen  of  all  occupations,  suited  to  a  frontier  life, 
they  were  not  unmindful  of  the  necessity  of  provid- 
ing for  moral  and  intellectual  wants.  With  them 
came  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  Rev.  Daniel  Story, 
who  was  charged  not  only  with  the  care  of  the  citi- 
zens, but  the  soldiers  in  the  garrison,  and  to  him, 
also,  was  intrusted  the  education  of  the  youth. 
Though  not  the  first,  he  was,  nevertheless,  a  pioneer 
preacher ;  and  while  he  could  preach  the  Gospel,  at 


THE   PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


131 


the  same  time  he  could  handle  the  plow  and  teach 
the  young  idea  how  to  shoot.  His  fellow  pioneer, 
Meigs,  could  take  a  fight,  or  a  foot  race  with  the 
savages,  and  also  could  invoke  the  muses  from  their 
Parnassian  heights  to  inspire  his  song.  He  was  the 
pioneer  poet,  and  his  verses  would  compare  favor- 
ably with  much  that  passes  for  poetry  at  the  present 
day. 

Preaching,  and  teaching,  and  poetry  aside,  let  us 
turn  to  other  things  of  more  interest  just  now.  It 
being  the  policy  of  the  agents  of  the  Ohio  Company 
to  encourage  settlements  in  some  of  the  more  remote 
points  of  their  purchase,  not  only  for  the  speedy 
occupancy  of  the  country,  but  also  to  form  a  frontier 
for  the  main  portion  of  the  colony,  they  resolved  to 
grant  to  settlers  in  such  localities  as  might  be  point- 
ed out,  one  hundred  acres  of  land.  One  of  the 
provisos  of  this  resolution  was,  that  no  settlement 
should  be  made  of  a  less  number  than  twenty  strong, 
healthy  men,  who  should  provide  themselves  with 
arms  and  ammunition,  and  erect  a  block-house  for 
their  defense  from  the  Indians.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances, quite  a  number  of  settlements  were  made 
in  1789,  1790.  In  the  autumn  of  the  latter  year,  a 
company  of  thirty-six  organized  themselves,  and 
made  a  selection  of  a  fertile  tract  on  the  Muskin- 
gum, about  thirty  miles  from  Marietta,  and  four 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  Meigs's  Creek.    The  first 


132 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


tiling  they  did  after  arriving  at  the  spot,  which  was 
on  the  west  side  of  the  Muskingum,  in  a  rich,  low 
bottom,  was  to  erect  their  fortifications.  A  few  rods 
back  from  the  garrison,  the  land  rose  in  gentle 
acclivity  on  to  a  higher  bottom,  and  spread  back  in 
a  beautiful  plain  to  the  foot  of  the  surrounding  hills. 
The  Indian  war-path  from  Sandusky  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Muskingum  lay  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the 
river,  in  full  view  of  the  garrison.  The  company 
consisted  almost  entirely  of  young  men,  inexperienc- 
ed in  the  modes  of  Indian  warfare,  though  daring 
and  enterprising.  They  knew  not  that  the  Dela- 
wares  and  Wyandots  had  sworn  around  their  council 
fires,  that  before  the  leaves  should  be  green  and  the 
trees  blossom  in  the  spring,  the  smoke  of  the  cabin 
of  every  pale  face  this  side  of  the  Ohio  should  not 
be  seen;  nor,  indeed,  was  this  fact  known  to  any  of 
the  settlers. 

They  had  erected  their  block-house,  and  two  of 
them  had  marked  out  their  lots  and  built  their 
cabins,  preparatory  to  clearing  in  the  spring,  which 
they  occupied  while  the  remainder  lived  in  the  fort. 
Midwinter  had  come,  and  as  the  weather  was  ex- 
tremely cold,  they  had  no  idea  that  the  savages 
would  leave  their  winter-quarters  at  such  a  season. 
But,  alas!  how  were  they  mistaken.  Already,  on  the 
opposite  shore  of  the  river,  which  could  readily  be 
crossed  on  the  ice,  dark,  savage  eyes  are  on  them, 


THE   PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


133 


watching  all  their  movements,  and  ready  to  pounce 
upon  them  as  the  panther  on  his  prey.  When  the 
shades  of  night  gathered  around,  and  the  party  in  the 
unpicketed  and  unsentineled  fort  were  cooking  and 
eating  what  proved  to  be  their  last  earthly  meal, 
a  stout,  swarthy  Mohawk  opened  the  unbarred 
door,  exposing  all  the  inmates,  who  were  gathered 
around  the  fire.  The  signal  was  given,  and  before 
they  had  time  to  seize  their  arms,  which  were  stack- 
ed in  the  corner,  all  fell  by  the  deadly  aim  of  the 
Indians,  except  a  stout  backwoods  Virginia  woman, 
the  wife  of  a  pioneer  hunter,  and  two  young  men, 
one  of  whom  ascended  the  ladder  and  escaped  to  the 
roof  only  to  be  shot  the  moment  he  was  seen,  and 
the  other,  hiding  in  some  bed-clothes,  was  subsequent- 
ly dragged  forth  and  made  a  prisoner.  The  heroic 
wife  of  the  hunter  determined  to  sell  her  life  as  dearly 
as  possible,  and  seizing  an  ax,  she  made  a  blow  at  the 
head  of  the  huge  Mohawk,  and  the  whole  side  of  his 
face  and  his  shoulder  were  cloven  asunder  by  the 
force.  Soon,  however,  a  rifle  ball  pierced  her,  and 
she  fell  among  the  slain. 

In  the  mean  time,  those  in  one  of  the  cabins  were 
made  prisoners,  while  those  in  the  other,  seizing  their 
guns  and  ammunition,  made  their  escape.  Directing 
their  course  down  the  river,  they  arrived  late  at 
night  at  the  hunting  camp  of  Mitchell,  with  whom 
Captain  Rogers,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  and  a  fine 


134 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


hunter,  together  with  a  Mohican  Indian,  were  living, 
Mitchell  being  absent.  When  Rogers  and  the  In- 
dian heard  of  the  massacre,  they  took  their  blankets 
and  rifles,  and,  crossing  the  river,  started  for  the  set- 
tlement at  Wolf  Creek  Mills,  to  apprise  them  of  their 
danger.  As  soon  as  they  arrived,  and  communicated 
the  sad  intelligence,  all  the  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren took  possession  of  the  largest  and  stoutest 
cabins,  and  prepared  for  an  attack.  Port-holes  were 
opened  in  the  chinking  between  the  logs ;  and,  every 
man  at  his  post,  they  watched  in  the  stillness  and 
darkness  of  that  gloomy  night  for  the  approach  of 
the  enemy.  At  length  the  savages  made  their  ap- 
pearance, but  they  were  cautious  enough  not  to 
come  within  reach  of  the  hunter's  rifle;  and  after 
reconnoitering  awhile  they  darted  into  the  woods, 
and  the  startled  settlers  heard  of  them  no  more  in 
that  neighborhood.  Not  so,  however,  with  the  set- 
tlers at  Planefield.  Wo  sooner  had  they  left  than  the 
heroic  Rogers  was  out,  and  in  advance  of  them 
gathered  together  the  families.  One  of  these  was  a 
widow  with  eight  children,  the  two  oldest  of  whom 
were  sons.  It  was  now  past  midnight;  and  the 
peaceful  inmates,  awakened  from  their  sleep,  were 
obliged  to  leave  their  cabins  and  brave  the  severity 
of  the  wintery  weather.  James  and  Daniel  Converse 
■ — for  these  were  the  names  of  the  two  sons  of  the 
widow — immediately  started,  and  visited  every  cabin 


THE   PIONEER  SETTLERS. 


135 


within  two  miles,  to  warn  the  settlers  of  their  danger. 
At  length  all  were  assembled  in  the  only  block-house 
in  that  region.  There  were  in  all  sixty  souls ;  and 
had  it  not  been  for  the  escape  of  the  two  from  the 
Big  Bottom  slaughter,  they  would  all,  doubtless,  have 
been  murdered  in  their  cabins  before  morning.  The 
night  passed  away  without  any  sign  of  the  Indians  ; 
and  when  the  morning  came,  Rogers  and  a  party  of 
men  started  for  Big  Bottom,  to  look  after  the  fate  of 
the  settlers :  it  was  only,  however,  to  find  their  charred 
and  blackened  bodies,  as  the  Indians  had  partially 
fired  the  fort  before  leaving. 

Young  Daniel,  the  widow's  son,  was  soon  after 
taken  captive  by  the  Indians,  and  carried  to  Detroit, 
but  was  subsequently  liberated.  He  afterward 
became  a  pioneer  merchant  in  the  town  of  Zanes- 
ville,  where  he  was  a  useful  and  respectable  citizen 
until  he  died. 

Settlements  were  made  at  Belpr6,  or  Belle  Prairie, 
Manchester,  Point  Pleasant,  Limestone,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Scioto,  at  North  Bend,  and  other  points 
along  the  Ohio  ;  and  also  in  the  interior,  and  out 
West,  as  far  as  Illinois,  at  all  of  which  border 
incidents  occurred  that  would  take  volumes  to  nar- 
rate. Some  of  them  are  of  so  wonderful  and  mar- 
velous a  character,  that  even  those  who  were  born 
and  have  grown  up  in  the  West  can  hardly  credit 
them  as  realities.    Scenes  have  been  enacted  on  the 


136  PIONEEKS  OF  THE  WEST. 

very  ground  where  our  peaceful  dwellings  stand,  that, 
for  thrilling  interest,  cannot  be  outdone  by  the  most 
fruitful  and  fervid  imagination.  We  can  only  select 
a  few,  which  may  serve  to  show  what  were  the  toils, 
and  hardships,  and  perils  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  the 
West. 


THE  PIONEER  PREACHERS. 


137 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  PIONEER  PREACHERS. 


We  have  elsewhere  alluded  to  these  self-sacrificing 
and  devoted  men;  many  of  whom,  in  advance  of 
civilization  among  the  savage  Indians  and  the  rude 
white  settlers,  came  into  the  wilderness  to  seek  the 
lost.  Before  even  the  cabin  was  ready  for  its  occu- 
pant, and  before  the  school-house  and  court-house 
were  erected,  both  of  which  served,  in  an  early  day, 
for  places  of  religious  worship,  these  pioneer  heralds 
of  the  Gospel  blazed  their  way  through  the  forests ; 
and  in  the  woods  and  cabins,  and  sometimes  in  the 
bar-rooms  of  village  taverns,  the  only  public  place  of 
meeting,  have  they  opened  their  mission,  and  called 
their  fellow-men  from  the  ways  of  sin  and  transgres- 
sion to  the  ways  of  righteousness. 

We  have  alluded  to  the  Jesuit,  who  planted  his 
cross  on  the  far-off  shores  of  Western  lakes  and  rivers, 
and  who  repeated  his  Ave  Marias  and  Pater  Nosters, 
and  sung  his  Te  Deums,  in  savage  wilds.  We  have 
also  spoken  of  the  Moravian,  who  followed  the  Indian 
in  his  wanderings,  and  instructed  him  in  the  arts  of 


138 


PIONEERS   OF    THE  WEST. 


civilization,  as  well  as  in  the  faith  and  duties  of  Chris- 
tianity; who  counted  no  toil  too  great,  or  hardship 
too  severe,  to  bring  the  sons  of  the  forest  from  their 
wild  and  savage  worship  to  the  knowledge  of  a  sim- 
ple faith  and  pure  form  of  worship.  Volumes  might 
be  written  concerning  the  labors  and  sufferings  of 
each  of  these  heroic  pioneer  ministers  of  the  Christian 
faith.  "We  shall  devote  this  chapter  to  the  relation  of 
a  few  incidents. 

Nearly  seventy  years  ago,  a  youthful  preacher,  one 
whose  bones  had  scarcely  hardened  into  manhood, 
might  have  been  seen  receiving  from  a  pioneer 
bishop,  at  an  Eastern  conference,  an  appointment 
to  the  West.  With  no  outfit  but  a  horse,  and  a  pair 
of  saddle-bags  containing  his  Bible,  Discipline,  and 
Hymn  Book,  and  perhaps  a  change  of  linen,  he  turned 
his  course  toward  the  setting  sun.  His  field  of  labor 
was  the  West  New  River  Circuit,  in  what  was  then 
called  the  Holston  country.  His  circuit  included  all 
the  settlements  on  the  east  and  north  forks  of  the  Hol- 
ston River,  and  all  those  on  the  Clinch  River,  as  well 
as  a  portion  on  the  Greenbrier,  embracing  hundreds 
of  miles.  Here  he  continued  to  preach  from  cabin  to 
cabin,  finding  his  way  as  best  he  could,  often  without 
a  path  in  the  wilderness,  and  unattended  by  any  hu- 
man being.  Whole  days  of  weary  travel  would  be 
spent  in  going  from  one  settlement  to  another;  and 
often  the  night  would  be  far  gone  before  reaching  it. 


THE  PIONEER  PREACHERS.  139 

The  appointments  being  made  for  every  four  or  six 
weeks,  the  settlers  would  have  a  knowledge  of  the 
time  of  the  preacher's  visits ;  and  they  would  collect 
together  from  the  distance  of  many  miles.  If  the 
preacher  should  be  belated,  they  would  spend  the 
time  in  singing  and  prayer;  and  often,  when  he  ar- 
rived, has  he  left  his  saddle,  the  seat  of  which  he  has 
occupied  the  entire  day  without  rest  or  refreshment, 
and,  entering  the  cabin,  held  forth  the  word  of  life. 
When  meeting  was  over,  the  people  would  light  their 
pine  torches,  if  the  night  was  dark,  and  go  home, 
making  the  woods  echo  with  some  favorite  hymn. 
Reader,  have  you  ever  heard  pioneer  singing  in  the 
woods  at  night?  It  is  not  a  la  operatic,  with  its 
screeches  and  trills,  outshaming  all  nature  and  mel- 
ody too;  but  rich,  melodious,  natural,  and  such  as 
fills  the  heart  with  sublimest  emotions.  In  it  there 
may  not  be  the  highest  contralto  or  lowest  soprano; 
but  there  will  be  a  spirit,  a  very  soul  and  power,  that 
will  touch  the  chords  of  the  human  heart.  Whatever 
may  be  said  of  improvement  in  sacred  music — and 
we  are  decidedly  progressive  in  our  tastes  and  habits 
— give  us  the  full,  round  chorus  of  the  whole  congre- 
gation uniting  in  the  praise  of  God,  even  if  it  should 
be  at  fault  in  artistic  accuracy.  The  very  memory  of 
the  songs  of  Zion  which  we  heard  in  our  early  life 
are  pleasant  to  the  soul.  Alas!  that,  like  past  joys, 
they  are  never  to  return ! 

9 


140 


PIONEEKS  OF  THE  WEST. 


Our  itinerant,  having  preached  his  sermon  and  re- 
ceived refreshment  and  rest,  must  start  in  the  morning 
for  his  next  appointment.  Before  leaving,  he  would 
select  the  text  for  his  next  discourse,  and  while  trav- 
eling, would  study  out  its  divisions,  or,  in  other 
words,  make  his  skeleton  and  clothe  it  with  sinews 
and  flesh,  and,  when  he  preached  it  to  the  people, 
breathe  into  it  the  breath  of  life. 

The  pioneer  preacher  had  not  the  helps  enjoyed  by 
the  preacher  of  the  present  day.  If  he  could  not 
walk  alone,  no  crutches  were  provided.  Skeletons 
and  sketch-books,  pulpit  assistants  and  preacher's 
manuals,  and  sermons  and  commentaries  were  then 
out  of  the  question;  and  even  if  he  had  them,  he 
could  not  carry  them  with  him  in  his  saddle-bags. 
They  were  shut  up  to  the  Bible,  and  its  study  alone, 
and  this  we  may  safely  affirm  was  the  secret  of  their 
power.  Communing,  as  they  did,  with  the  Divine 
Mind,  through  the  written  word,  they  came  before 
the  people  as  Moses  came  down  from  the  burning 
mountain,  and  the  words  they  spoke  were  full  of 
spirit  and  life.  Much  is  said  and  written  about  the 
ministry  needed  for  the  times,  and  great  stress  is  laid 
upon  a  thorough  theological  training,  all  which  is 
right,  and  no  minister  of  the  present  day,  with  the 
facilities  enjoyed,  should  content  himself  without  it ; 
but,  after  all,  there  is  a  one  thing  needful — a  sine  qua 
non — a  thorough  baptism  into  the  truth  and  Spirit  of 


THE  PIONEER  PREACHERS, 


141 


God,  a  consecration  of  soul  and  body  to  the  work  of 
the  ministry,  to  the  ignoring  of  everything  else,  that 
can  only  make  successful  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ. 
The  pioneer  preachers  did  not  get  their  systematic 
theology  from  human  productions,  filled  with  human 
speculations  and  finespun  theories  about  election, 
reprobation,  eternal  filiation,  et  csetera;  but  they 
drew  their  systems  directly  from  the  Bible,  the 
living  fountain  of  eternal  truth.  "When,  therefore, 
they  preached  a  doctrinal  discourse,  it  was  thor- 
oughly Biblical  and  sound.  Nor  did  they  go  to  any 
system  of  moral  philosophy  to  learn  what  were  man's 
rights  on  the  one  hand,  or  his  duties  on  the  other. 
The  ethics  of  the  New  Testament  were  sufficiently 
copious  and  clear  to  shed  light  on  all  these  subjects. 

Our  pioneer  traveled  through  the  wilderness, 
preaching  from  place  to  place,  until  the  Indians 
invaded  the  country  and  commenced  their  depre- 
dations. Still,  though  thus  interrupted,  wherever 
he  could  get  a  congregation  in  the  woods,  or  in  a 
cabin,  he  was  always  ready  and  willing  to  preach 
to  them  the  Gospel.  He  did  not  receive  salary 
enough  to  keep  his  horse,  had  he  been  under 
the  necessity  of  purchasing  his  feed.  All  that  was 
allowed  him  was  a  sum  less  than  one  hundred 
dollars;  and  should  he,  by  chance,  have  received 
more,  it  must  be  accounted  for,  and  the  proceeds 
taken  to  conference,  to  make  up  the  deficiencies  of 


142 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


those  who  had  not  received  their  pay.  Any  small 
present  that  might  have  been  made  had  also  to  be 
accounted  for;  and  we  recollect  distinctly  of  re- 
porting a  pair  of  socks  given  to  us  by  an  old  lady, 
in  lieu  of  quarterage,  when  traveling  French  Grant 
Circuit  in  1835,  the  whole  amount  of  salary  received 
during  the  year  by  the  presiding  elder,  R.  O. 
Spencer,  and  two  preachers,  not  amounting  to  one 
hundred  dollars.  Well  did  General  Harrison  say, 
that  "though  the  circuit  preachers  of  early  times 
did  not  take,  like  the  Jesuits,  the  vow  of  poverty, 
their  condition  and  circumstances  were  precisely 
the  same  as  if  they  had  taken  such  a  vow." 

What  is  said  of  the  pioneer  itinerant  may,  in  a 
great  degree,  apply  to  those  pastors  of  other  de- 
nominations who  came  out  in  an  early  day  to  feed 
the  sheep  in  the  wilderness.  An  incident  occurred 
in  the  western  part  of  Pennsylvania,  in  an  early 
day,  that  will  illustrate  this  remark.  A  Presby- 
terian minister  had  crossed  the  mountains  for  the 
purpose  of  preaching  the  word  of  life  to  two  set- 
tlements, one  of  which  was  located  at  what  was 
called  Cross  Creek,  and  the  other  at  Upper  Buf- 
falo. His  congregation  was  much  attached  to  him, 
and  did  all  they  could  to  promote  his  welfare,  but 
they  were  too  poor  to  render  him  much  aid.  To 
be  sure,  they  agreed  to  pay  him  a  stipulated  salary, 
but  were  unable  to  comply  with  their  promises. 


THE  PIONEER  PREACHERS. 


143 


As  it  was,  the  pastor  was  obliged  to  get  a  farm, 
and  take  to  the  plow  and  hoe,  to  dig  a  living 
out  of  the  earth.  The  settlers  were  as  bold  and 
hardy  a  band  as  ever  entered  the  wilderness.  They 
had  built  their  cabins,  and  felled  the  forest  around 
them,  even  in  the  midst  of  the  greatest  perils.  The 
Indians  would  often  cross  the  Ohio,  steal  their  chil- 
dren and  horses,  and  kill  and  scalp  every  hapless 
victim  that  might  fall  in  their  way.  The  conse- 
quence was,  that  these  pioneer  farmers  had  to 
work  with  their  rifles  by  their  side.  When  they 
repaired  to  their  rude  log  church  to  engage  in 
religious  worship,  their  rifles  were  as  necessary  an 
accompaniment  as  their  Psalm  Books. 

Among  this  people  the  pioneer  herald  of  the 
Gospel  took  up  his  abode.  Having  purchased  a 
small  farm,  partly  cultivated,  he  would  toil  through 
the  week,  when  not  otherwise  engaged  in  pastoral 
labor,  and  preach  to  his  people  on  Sunday.  He 
expected  to  pay  for  his  farm  out  of  the  salary 
which  his  people  had  pledged  for  his  support.  < 

Years  passed  away  in  their  rapid  flight.  The 
pastor  was  unpaid,  and  the  debt  he  owed  for  the 
farm  was  increasing  with  the  accumulating  interest 
on  the  money.  At  length  the  period  arrived  when 
the  creditor,  becoming  impatient,  demanded  his 
pay,  declaring  that  he  would  wait  no  longer,  and  if 
the  amount  was  not  forthcoming,  the  occupant  must 


144 


PIONEERS    OF  THE  WEST. 


leave.  Money  was  out  of  the  question,  as  there 
was  none  in  circulation.  Of  produce  there  was  a 
great  abundance,  particularly  wheat;  but  for  this 
there  was  no  market,  and  it  was  considered,  in 
backwoods  parlance,  "  a  drug,"  at  twelve  and  a  halt 
cents  per  bushel.  For  their  salt,  which  had  to  be 
brought  on  pack-horses  across  the  mountains,  they 
had  to  give  in  exchange  for  one  bushel,  twenty-one 
bushels  of  wheat.  Still,  cheap  as  was  this  latter 
article,  there  was  enough  to  pay  all  the  claims  of 
the  pastor,  and  to  spare ;  but  it  was  impossible  to 
convert  it  into  cash.  What  was  to  be  done  ?  The 
preacher  had  extended  the  clearings  and  made 
many  improvements  upon  the  farm,  and  all  this 
must  be  lost  and  his  home  given  up.  Besides,  he 
was  becoming  advanced  in  years,  and  the  strength 
of  his  youth  had  departed.  With  the  loss  of  his 
farm  he  must  also  give  up  his  beloved  flock,  and 
return  to  the  East  to  seek  one  which  could  render 
him  a  support. 

At  this  crisis  the  people  were  called  together,  and 
the  case  laid  before  them.  The  intelligence  com- 
municated by  the  pastor  greatly  moved  them ;  they 
all  united  in  prayer  to  seek  the  Divine  aid  and 
guidance.  Suggestions  were  made  and  plans  pro- 
posed for  meeting  the  difficulty,  but  still  no  light 
dawned.  The  congregations  of  both  places  we  have 
named  were  hopelessly  in  debt  to  their  pastor ;  and 


THE  PIONEER  PREACHERS. 


145 


they  could  neither  get  nor  borrow  the  money  to  pay 
him.  Three  or  four  years'  salary  was  behind,  and 
every  day  only  increased  their  indebtedness.  In 
despair  of  finding  any  mode  by  which  to  extricate 
themselves  from  the  difficulty,  they  adjourned  to 
meet  again  in  a  few  days,  trusting  that  Providence 
would  open  some  door  of  deliverance. 

In  the  mean  time  it  was  ascertained  that  a  gen- 
tleman who  owned  the  only  mill  in  that  region  of 
country  would  grind  meal  for  them  on  moderate 
terms.  Hence  it  was  resolved  at  the  next  meeting, 
that  each  member  should  take  his  wheat  to  the  mill 
in  such  quantities  as  their  ability  would  justify. 
Some  packed  on  horses  as  high  as  fifty  bushels ;  some 
even  exceeded  that  amount ;  but  all  were  cheerful  in 
contributing,  as  they  were  able ;  for  they  were  much 
attached  to  their  pastor,  and  were  unwilling  to  have 
him  leave.  Wheat  was  thus  transported  on  horses 
from  a  distance  of  twenty-five  or  thirty  miles. 

After  a  while  the  word  came  that  the  flour  was 
ready  for  market ;  but,  as  before  remarked,  there  was 
no  place  in  all  the  upper  country  where  it  could  be 
sold.  If  sold  at  all,  it  must  be  conveyed  in  a  boat  to 
New  Orleans,  down  the  current  of  rivers  whose  banks 
were  untenanted,  except  by  the  savage  and  the  wild 
beasts.  Another  meeting  was  called.  A  link  in  the 
chain  of  Providence  had  been  reached  which  they 
could  not  pass ;  and  hence  it  was  again  necessary  to 


146 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


enter  into  consultation,  and  seek  the  Divine  aid 
After  earnest  prayer  the  question,  startling  to  all 
present,  was  asked:  "Who  will  run  a  boat  to  New 
Orleans  ?  The  undertaking  at  that  time  was  perilous 
in  the  extreme.  Months  must  pass  before  the  ad- 
venturer could  hope  to  return,  even  though  his 
journey  should  prove  a  fortunate  one.  A  fearful 
hazard  was  to  be  run  in  passing  through  the  wilder- 
ness on  the  return  trip.  Sad  and  melancholy  tales  had 
been  told  of  the  treacherous  Indians  and  the  Spanish 
robber.  More  than  one  boat's  crew  had  gone  on  that 
journey  to  return  no  more.  Well  might  it  have  been  ■ 
considered  a  question  of  momentous  importance ;  and 
well  must  he  count  the  cost  who  would  undertake  to 
answer  it,  and  brave  the  dangers  of  that  journey. 
All  were  silent;  no  one  volunteered  to  go.  The 
young  shrunk  back,  and  the  stout-hearted  middle- 
aged  themselves  quailed.  A  crisis  of  greater  moment 
had  come  than  any  through  which  they  had  passed ; 
and  they  were  obliged  to  fall  back  on  Providence, 
and  were  shut  up  to  the  faith.  Some  one  of  that  con- 
gregation must  embark  in  the  enterprise ;  but  still  no 
one  moved  or  spoke  a  word.  It  seemed  that  the  plan 
must  fail,  the  preacher  lose  his  home,  and  the  people 
their  pastor.  At  length  the  stillness  was  broken. 
An  aged  man,  one  of  the  elders  of  the  Church, 
wrinkled  and  white  with  hoary  hairs,  and  bending 
beneath  the  weight  of  three-score  years  and  four, 


THE   PIONEER   PREACHERS.  147 


advanced  in  front  of  the  pulpit,  and  turning  round  to 
the  wondering  audience,  he  said,  "  Here  am  I ;  send 
me."  The  movement  produced  an  indescribable 
thrill  in  all  hearts.  Pastor  and  people  wept  like 
children,  as  they  beheld  their  venerated  elder  thus, 
as  it  were,  offer  up  himself  as  a  sacrifice  for  the  cause 
of  religion. 

We  witnessed  a  scene  something  similar  to  this 
many  years  ago,  at  a  conference  held  in  Spring- 
field. One  of  the  most  sublimely  eloquent  ser- 
mons to  which  we  ever  listened  was  preached 
by  Bascom,  the  pioneer  orator  of  the  West,  on 
the  subject  of  missions.  The  presiding  bishop,  at 
its  close,  asked  for  volunteers  for  the  then  distant 
wilds  of  Missouri  and  Texas.  The  conference  was 
composed  of  many  stalwart  young  men,  most  of 
whom  had  been  subjected  to  the  toils  and  hardships 
of  frontier  life.  But  no  one  responded  to  the  call. 
The  bishop  (the  venerable  Soule)  said  he  had  noth- 
ing to  offer  but  hard  service  and  poor  fare  in  this 
world,  though  he  would  guarantee  to  the  faithful 
eternal  life  in  heaven.  None  rose  or  indicated  any 
desire  to  brave  the  dangers  of  the  Missouri  or 
Texian  wilds.  It  seemed  as  though  the  spirit  of 
Wesley  had  forsaken  or  had  ne  t  taken  possession 
of  his  sons  in  the  Gospel.  At  length  there  rose 
from  near  the  altar  an  aged  man.  He  tottered  up 
the  steps,  and  presenting  himself  to  the  bishop,  said, 


148 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


"  1  will  go.55  He  had  passed  his  three-score  years 
and  ten ;  had  been  a  pioneer  preacher  in  the  wil- 
derness of  Kentucky,  and  had  opened  the  first  acade- 
my of  learning  in  the  great  valley.  It  was  the 
venerable  Finley,  the  father  of  the  "  old  chief," 
who  instantly  followed  him,  and  offered  himself  in 
his  place.  The  spell  of  fear  and  danger  was  broken, 
and  a  number  of  young,  devoted  spirits  met  the 
bishop's  call.  The  bones  of  some  of  those  young 
preachers  lie  bleaching  on  the  plains  of  Texas  and 
Missouri ;  but  their  ranks  have  been  filled,  and  the 
Gospel  is  now  proclaimed  all  over  the  "West  and 
South. 

But  to  return  to  our  narrative.  The  congregation 
gathered  around  the  elder,  and  to  questions  about  his 
resolution  to  undertake  the  enterprise,  he  replied 
that  he  would  brave  all  danger,  and  even  death 
itself,  rather  than  his  children  should  lose  their 
beloved  heavenly  guide.  Two  young  men  were 
induced  to  accompany  him  as  assistants  in  managing 
the  boat.  After  the  craft  which  had  been  construct- 
ed for  the  purpose  was  loaded,  and  everything  got 
in  readiness  for  departure,  the  people  were  all  assem- 
bled at  the  Church,  whence,  after  meeting,  they  start- 
ed down  to  the  river  to  bid  the  old  man  farewell. 
A  parting  hymn  was  sung  upon  the  beach,  followed 
by  a  most  fervent  prayer,  invoking  the  protection 
and  blessing  of  Heaven  upon  the  voyager.    After  it 


THE  PIONEER  PREACHERS. 


149 


was  ended,  the  venerable  man  ascended  the  deck, 
and  seizing  the  oar,  said,  "Farewell,  brethren!  Untie 
the  cable,  and  let  us  see  what  the  Lord  will  do  for 
ns."  The  cable  was  untied,  and  the  boat  swung 
round  into  the  current,  and  glided  softly  and  smooth- 
ly away. 

More  than  nine  months  passed  away  since  the 
adventurous  boat  cleared  the  landing,  and  started 
out  on  her  distant  voyage.  No  tidings  came  back 
to  the  settlements  of  its  fate  or  fortune.  Many  and 
ardent  were  the  prayers  offered  up  for  the  devoted 
elder.  At  the  return  of  every  Sabbath  many  an 
anxious  eye  turned  to  the  vacant  seat,  and  as  the 
pastor  invited  the  congregation  to  unite  with  him  in 
prayer  for  the  absent  ones,  every  heart  responded, 
and  every  head  was  bowed  in  solemn  supplication 
for  his  protection  and  safe  return.  It  could  not  be 
that  an  enterprise  thus  undertaken  for  the  Lord,  and 
baptized  in  prayer,  could  fail.  Surely,  He  who 
"holds  the  hearts  of  men  in  his  hands,  and  turns 
them  as  the  rivers  of  the  south  are  turned,"  will 
watch  over  his  servant,  and  bring  him  back  in  safety 
to  the  loved  ones  left  behind.  Those  prayers  were 
not  in  vain. 

On  a  beautiful  Sabbath  morning,  when  all  nature 
smiled  beneath  its  repose,  parents  and  children  were 
seen  coming  from  their  cabin  homes  to  the  house  of 
God.    There  stands  the  man  of  God,  in  simple  garb, 


150 


PIONEEKS  OF  THE  WEST. 


within  the  sacred  desk.  He  has  offered  prayer — a 
short  invocation;  and  now  he  reads  the  hymn: 

"Come,  sound  his  praise  abroad, 

And  hymns  of  glory  sing  ; 
Jehovah  is  the  sov'reign  Lord, 

The  universal  King." 

Then  followed  a  prayer,  full  of  thanksgiving  and 
praise.  The  pastor's  heart  was  touched  with  unusual 
emotion;  and  well  it  might  be,  for  there  sat  before 
him,  on  the  rude  bench  so  long  vacant,  his  beloved 
elder.  After  the  services  were  completed,  the  con- 
gregation was  invited  to  meet  on  a  certain  day,  early 
in  the  week,  to  hear  the  report  of  the  venerable  man. 
All  gathered  around  him,  to  welcome  him  home  and 
receive  his  blessing.  Old  and  young  rejoiced  to  be- 
hold once  more  the  light  of  his  smile.  The  other 
congregation  was  also  informed,  by  the  pastor,  of  his 
safe  return,  and  requested  to  meet  at  the  time  ap- 
pointed. 

The  day  at  length  arrived;  and  at  the  hour  all 
were  convened  in  the  church.  After  prayer  and 
thanksgiving,  the  old  man  rose  and  related  his  story. 
He  remarked  that  the  Lord  had  granted  him  a  peace- 
ful and  prosperous  voyage,  and  that  he  had  sold  all 
the  flour  at  twenty-seven  dollars  per  barrel.  He  then 
took  up  a  leathern  bag,  and,  untying  it,  poured  out 
its  contents  upon  the  communion  table.    None  there 


THE  PIONEER  PREACHERS. 


151 


had  ever  seen  so  large  a  pile  of  gold  before.  Truly 
the  Lord  had  favored  the  mission;  for,  after  paying 
for  the  pastor's  farm,  and  a  year's  salary  in  advance, 
together  with  a  good  sum  to  the  young  men,  there 
was  a  large  surplus  to  be  divided  among  those  who 
had  furnished  the  flour.  More  than  half  a  century 
has  passed  away  since  pastor  and  elder  were  called 
to  their  reward  in  the  upper  and  better  sanctuary. 
Side  by  side  their  ashes  rest  in  the  old  church-yard, 
to  wait  the  resurrection  of  the  just. 

But  we  must  now  resume  our  sketch  of  the  young 
itinerant.  He  had  finished  his  year  of  service,  and 
had  gone  to  conference.  Here  he  met  the  pioneer 
bishop,  Asbury;  and  also  the  pioneer  preachers, 
M'Henry,  Hill,  "Ward,  and  others.  The  preachers  in 
those  times  could  only  see  each  other  once  a  year,  and 
when  they  met  to  recount  their  toils  and  triumphs, 
they  had  a  joyous  time.  The  ministers  of  the  West 
are  now  so  numerous  that  they  often  get  in  the  way 
of  each  other.  But  it  was  not  so  then  ;  hundreds  of 
miles  of  wilderness  stretched  between  their  fields  of 
labor;  and  if  the  circuits  did,  in  their  vast  sweep, 
happen  to  touch  each  other,  they  were  generally  at 
points  remote  from  preaching  places,  so  that  they 
would  not  be  likely  to  meet  each  other.  The  labors 
of  the  conference  being  ended,  his  assigned  field  of 
labor  for  the  coming  year  was  in  Kentucky;  and 
he,  with  the  bishop  and  several  preachers,  started 


152  PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


on  their  journey  through  the  wilderness.  Before 
proceeding  far,  however,  others  were  joined  to  the 
expedition,  and  the  number  amounted  to  sixteen. 
They  had  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  to  travel, 
without  a  cabin  or  settlement  on  the  route,  and  they 
were  to  traverse  a  region  then  known  as  the  "  dark 
and  bloody  ground,"  in  consequence  of  the  savage 
barbarities  w^hich  had  been  perpetrated.  Of  course, 
it  would  not  do  to  go  unarmed ;  and  hence  all  were 
supplied  with  weapons  of  defense,  except  the  bishop. 
Having  crossed  the  Cumberland  range,  they  were 
now  in  the  very  bosom  of  the  wilderness.  Though 
the  good  bishop  would  not  carry  arms,  he  was,  never- 
theless, not  indifferent  to  the  importance  of  adopting 
modes  of  defense  from  the  attacks  of  the  savages. 
At  his  suggestion  the  following  was  selected,  viz.: 
when  they  stopped  at  night,  a  rope  was  to  be  ex- 
tended round  the  entire  camp,  a  short  distance  from 
the  ground,  except  a  small  passage,  which  should  be 
left  open  for  a  retreat  should  the  Indians  come  upon 
them. 

They  pursued  their  journey  undisturbed  until  one 
afternoon,  just  as  the  sun  was  sinking  behind  the 
western  hills.  They  had  entered  a  narrow,  rocky 
glen,  not  far  from  the  war-path  of  the  northern 
Indians  to  the  southern  tribes.  While  in  this  glen 
a  noise  was  heard,  over  the  point  of  the  hill  which 
rose  abruptly  from  the  glen,  resembling  the  cry 


THE  PIONEER  PREACHERS. 


153 


of  a  child  in  great  distress.  They  had  been  too 
long  in  the  woods  thus  to  be  decoyed  by  the 
savages,  who  had  adopted  this  mode  from  the 
fact  that,  but  a  short  time  before,  they  had  attacked 
a  company  of  movers,  and  killed  a  number,  and 
it  was  supposed  that  several  children  were  lost  in 
the  woods.  Instead  of  heeding  the  cries  of  these 
Indians,  each  traveler  put  whip  and  spur  to  his 
horse,  and,  clearing  the  glen,  reached  Camp  Creek, 
where  they  halted.  It  was  now  night,  and  horses 
as  well  as  men  were  weary  with  fatigue,  and  needed 
rest.  Notwithstanding,  as  they  were  not  out  of  the 
reach  of  the  savages,  it  was  concluded  to  take  the 
vote  in  regard  to  the  propriety  of  camping  for 
the  night.  All  were  in  favor  of  proceeding  on  the 
journey,  as  the  Indians  were  in  too  fearful  prox- 
imity, except  one  preacher,  who  said  if  they 
traveled  any  further  it  would  kill  his  horse.  At 
this  the  bishop,  who  had  his  fears  somewhat  aroused, 
said,  "  Kill  man,  kill  horse  first and,  putting  spurs 
to  his  spirited  animal,  he  led  the  van.  It  soon 
became  so  dark  that  they  could  not  discover  the 
narrow  path.  Two  were  appointed  to  go  on  foot 
in  front,  and  thus  pick  out  the  path,  while  two 
others  were  left  to  proceed  some  distance  behind 
as  a  kind  of  rear-guard,  to  keep  a  look-out  for  the 
enemy.  At  length  the  company  reached  Big  Laurel 
Eiver.    The  night  was  far  spent,  but  still  they 


154 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


resolved  to  proceed,  though  the  darkness  was  so 
great  that  each  one  had  to  dismount  and  lead  his 
horse.  Thus  they  continued  on  foot  until  daylight, 
when  they  entered  a  hazel  thicket  and  fed  their 
horses,  and  took  some  refreshment  themselves.  The 
guard  behind,  on  coming  up,  reported  that  they 
were  followed  by  the  Indians  until  twelve  o'clock, 
when  they  left  the  track. 

The  itinerant  career  of  our  pioneer  preacher  was 
almost  as  full  of  perilous  incidents  as  that  of  the 
pioneer  hunter.  On  one  occasion  he  raised  a  com- 
pany of  twelve,  for  the  purpose  of  going  from 
Kentucky  beyond  the  Cumberland,  again  to  pilot  out 
the  bishop  to  the  seat  of  the  conference.  One  day, 
as  they  were  traveling  on  their  journey,  they  came 
to  a  spot  where,  a  few  days  before,  four  preachers, 
who  had  started  to  travel  through  the  wilderness, 
had  been  surprised  and  murdered  by  the  savages. 
They  had  been  scalped,  and  their  bodies  presented 
a  shocking  appearance,  from  having  been  torn  by 
the  wild  beasts.  Being  the  commander  of  the  party, 
the  itinerant  had  not  closed  his  eyes  for  two  days 
and  nights,  and  when  they  reached  the  Cumberland 
Eiver,  and  stopped  to  encamp  for  the  night,  he 
resolved  to  take  some  rest.  After  stationing  his 
sentinels  at  their  posts,  he  took  his  saddle  blanket 
and  spread  it  on  the  ground.  Then  taking  his 
Baddle  and  saddle-bags  for  a  pillow,  he  laid  himself 


THE    PIONEER   PREACHERS.  155 

down  to  rest.    In  a  few  moments,  "tired  nature's 

sweet  restorer"  lulled  liim  into  profound  repose. 

He  had  not  slept  an  hour  when  he  was  aroused 

by  the  cry  of  "The  Indians  are  coming!"  Some 

affirmed  that  they  heard  their  dogs  bark,  and  others 

that  they  heard  them  cutting  cane  for  their  horses. 

The  preacher  rose  and  tried  to  allay  their  fears, 

but  all  proved  of  no  avail,  as  each  one  mounted 

his  horse  and  was  off.     Finding  himself  left,  he 

called  in  his  sentinels,  and  they  departed  after 

the  fugitives.    The  next  night  they  continued  to 

travel,  until  the  darkness  became  so  great  that  they 

could  not  see  an  inch  before  them.    Concluding  to 

stop,  the  preacher  ordered  the  company  to  separate 

right  and  left  and  dismount,  each  man  holding  his 

horse  by  the  bridle,  while  they  would  lie  dowTn  at 

their  feet  and  sleep  until  daybreak.    The  command 

was  obeyed,  and  it  was  not  long  until  the  tired 

travelers  were  sound  asleep.    In  the  morning  they 

resumed  their  journey,  and,  crossing  the  mountains, 

were  soon  at  their  place  of  destination. 

"When  they  returned  they  were  joined  by  a  large 

party  of  emigrants,  consisting  of  men,  women,  and 

children,  to  the  number  of  one  hundred  and  twenty. 

They  were  well  supplied  with  horses  to  ride,  besides 

a  large  number  of  pack-horses.    It  was  what  might 

be  called  a   caravan  of  the  Western  wilderness 

The  preacher  was  unanimously  chosen  to  the  com- 

10 


156 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


mand.  The  caravan  extended  a  mile  in  length. 
The  commander,  with  a  well-skilled  explorer,  led  the 
van,  and  a  chosen  number  of  those  who  had  gone  out 
with  him  brought  up  the  rear.  Separated  as  they 
were  from  each  other  by  the  narrow  path,  which 
obliged  them  to  go  in  single  file,  they  were  liable 
at  any  moment  to  be  attacked,  and  would  fall  an 
easy  prey  to  a  party  of  Indians  on  foot  with  their 
rifles ;  hence  the  utmost  caution  was  necessary  w 
proceeding.  For  two  days  and  nights  they  traveled  on 
without  meeting  with  any  incident  worthy  of  special 
notice.  At  length  they  reached  the  ford  of  the 
Cumberland  River.  The  stream  was  much  swollen 
by  recent  rains,  but,  still,  it  was  thought  practica- 
ble to  undertake  the  crossing.  Soon  the  whole  com- 
pany came  up  to  the  bank,  and  while  they  were 
crowded  together  the  sharp  crack  of  several  rifles 
was  heard  on  the  opposite  bank.  The  shots  were 
from  a  party  of  Indians,  but  the  distance  was  so  far, 
fortunately,  none  took  effect.  The  greatest  conster- 
nation prevailed.  Many  emigrant  bands  had  been 
wholly  exterminated  by  the  Indians,  and  there  was 
not  a  child  of  any  years  among  that  number,  who 
had  not  heard  of  the  sad  story  of  their  fate.  The 
women,  affrighted,  clung  to  their  little  ones,  and 
begged  to  return.  But  they  had  gone  too  far  to 
return,  and  would  have  to  encounter  as  much  dan- 
ger, and  perhaps  more  than  if  thev  should  proceed. 


THE    PIONEER  PREACHERS. 


157 


One  day  more  would  bring  them  to  the  settlements, 
where  they  would  be  safe  ;  and  if  they  returned,  the 
Indians  could  rally  their  forces,  and,  pursuing,  soon 
overtake  them  and  cut  them  off.  The  only  chance 
of  deliverance  was  to  go  forward  and  press  their 
way  through  the  enemy. 

A  crisis  had  come,  and  the  pioneer  preacher 
proved  himself,  as  on  former  occasions,  adequate  to 
the  trial.  Riding  out  from  the  company  a  short 
distance,  with  his  rifle  resting  upon  his  arm,  he  said 
he  was  going  to  cross  the  river,  and  asked  if  there 
were  any  who  would  accompany  him  in  the  under- 
taking. Out  of  the  whole  number,  the  chosen 
eleven  with  whom  he  had  crossed  the  mountains 
only  acceded,  and,  following  their  leader,  they 
plunged  into  the  river.  When  they  reached  the 
opposite  bank,  expecting  an  immediate  attack  from 
the  Indians,  they  instantly  alighted  from  their 
horses,  and  each  man  took  a  tree  to  wait  the  onset. 
After  remaining  some  time,  and  no  Indians  approach- 
ing, they  made  search  through  the  adjacent  woods, 
but  finding  none,  they  returned  to  the  bank  of  the 
river.  The  preacher  then  beckoned  to  the  company 
on  the  other  shore  to  cross  over.  Finding  they 
could  cross  in  safety,  and  especially  having  so  brave 
a  guard,  one  after  another  they  entered  the  river, 
and  arrived  safe  on  the  other  side.  A  thunder- 
storm coming  up  toward  the  close  of  the  afternoon, 


158 


PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


the  company  halted  and  prepared  to  encamp  for  the 
night ;  striking  their  tents  and  building  their  fires, 
they  sought  refreshment  and  rest.  The  itinerant 
posted  his  sentinels,  but  kept  on  his  feet  all  night, 
passing  round  from  post  to  post,  and  through  the 
camp,  to  see  that  all  was  righi.  The  next  day  they 
arrived  at  the  Crab  Orchard,  and  having  passed  the 
dangers  of  the  wilderness  and  reached  the  settle- 
ments, the  preacher  left  the  company  and  started  tc 
the  seat  of  the  conference.  Here  he  met  Poythress 
who  presided  in  the  place  of  the  bishop,  and  Scott, 
a  young  preacher  from  the  Baltimore  Conference, 
who  but  a  few  months  since  died  at  his  residence  in 
Chillicothe.  From  this  conference  he  started  out  to 
travel  a  new  circuit,  bounded  east  by  the  frontier 
settlements,  and  west  by  the  Kentucky  River. 

Thus,  from  year  to  year,  he  received  appointments 
on  the  frontiers,  extending  his  ranges  wherever  he 
could  hear  of  a  newly-erected  cabin.  The  clothes 
which  he  had  when  he  started  from  his  home  in  the 
East,  were  worn  into  tatters,  being  no  longer  able  to 
sustain  a  patch.  The  amount  which  he  received  for 
one  year's  labor  was  barely  sufficient  to  enable  him  to 
purchase  a  waistcoat.  Still  he  had  a  mission  to  per- 
form, and  he  kept  on  his  way  from  year  to  year,  from 
circuit  to  circuit,  covering  his  tattered  garb  with  a 
blanket,  as  a  mantle,  and  enduring  the  hard  service 
incident  to  a  pioneer  itinerant.    At  one  time,  in  the 


THE  PIONEER  PREACHERS. 


159 


beginning  of  the  present  century,  his  field  of  labor 
included  nearly  the  entire  state  of  Ohio,  besides  por- 
tions of  Virginia  and  Kentucky  ;  and  the  loved  work 
in  which  he  was  employed  engrossed  his  whole  atten- 
tion, until,  through  toil  and  exposure,  he  lost  his  voice, 
and  was  obliged  to  seek  other  employment  to  obtain 
a  livelihood.  President  Monroe,  or  Madison,  we  do 
not  recollect  which,  gave  him  a  commission  as  post- 
master of  Cincinnati,  which  office  he  held  until  the 
Tyler  administration,  when  he  was  removed. 

But  his  work  is  done.  The  young  and  daring 
pioneer  preacher,  who  traversed  the  wilderness,  and 
crossed  the  mountains  eleven  times,  on  the  errand  of 
his  Master,  has  passed  away  to  the  rest  of  the  grave. 
He  died  a  few  months  since  in  Cincinnati.  William 
Burke  will  long  be  remembered  in  the  West ;  indeed, 
his  whole  life  is  so  interwoven  with  its  history  that  he 
cannot  be  forgotten. 

About  the  same  period  a  preacher  by  the  name  of 
Wilkinson  was  transferred  from  the  Virginia  Confer- 
ence to  the  Western  Conference.  He  was  young  and 
eloquent,  a  son  of  thunder ;  and  many  a  stout  heart 
at  the  camp-meetings,  among  the  sturdy  pioneer 
hunters  and  settlers,  had  been  smitten  by  the  power 
of  his  words.    As  a  legate  of  heaven, 

"  By  him  the  violated  law 
Spoke  out  its  thunders." 


160 


PIONEEKS  OF  THE  WEST. 


And  whether  in  the  rude  log-church,  at  the  camp- 
meetings  in  the  forest,  or  in  the  crowded  city,  the 
power  of  his  eloquence  was  felt. 

Having  attended  conference  in  Tennessee,  and 
received  his  appointment,  he  started,  accompanied 
with  others,  to  cross  the  wilderness  for  the  destined 
field  of  his  labors.  They  had  not  proceeded  far  on 
their  journey  before  his  horse  became  so  lame  that  it 
was  impossible  for  him  to  proceed.  The  company, 
unwilling  to  wait,  and  not  knowing  how  long  it  would 
take  to  restore  his  horse,  proceeded  on  without  him. 
After  remaining  some  days,  his  horse  had  so  far 
recovered  as  to  enable  him  to  proceed ;  but  he  found 
himself  in  a  dilemma  almost  as  great  as  the  one  from 
which  he  had  been  extricated.  His  horse-feed,  of 
which  he  thought  he  had  brought  sufficient  to  last 
the  journey,  and  it,  doubtless,  would  have  proved  ad- 
equate but  for  the  detention,  was  exhausted ;  and  in 
addition  to  this,  his  own  provision  spoiled,  with  the 
exception  of  a  small  piece  of  dried  beef.  At  Bean's 
Station,  on  the  frontier,  he  obtained  a  cup  of  milk 
and  a  piece  of  corn  bread.  The  people  there  en- 
deavored to  dissuade  him  from  the  undertaking,  and 
earnestly  advised  him  to  wait  until  he  could  obtain 
company  to  travel  with  him.  But  he  would  listen  to 
no  advice  ;  he  had  sent  on  his  appointments  in  ad- 
vance, and  he  was  resolved,  if  it  was  possible,  to 
reach  them,  that  the  people  should  not  be  disap- 


THE   PIONEER  PREACHERS. 


161 


pointed.  The  station  was  so  scarce  of  provision  that 
he  could  obtain  no  supply  for  himself;  and  all  he 
could  get  for  his  horse  was  some  frost-bitten  corn. 
On,  therefore,  with  his  meager  supply  he  journeyed. 
Between  him  and  Crab  Orchard,  a  distance  of  one 
hundred  and  thirty  miles,  there  was  naught  but  a 
tenantless  wilderness.  Occasionally  he  would  stop 
and  let  his  horse  graze  upon  the  herbage,  while  he 
would  sparingly  partake  of  his  dried  beef.  At 
length  the  settlements  were  reached;  but  preacher 
and  horse  were  so  much  exhausted  that  they  scarcely 
had  strength  to  eat.  He,  perhaps,  would  not  have 
suffered  so  much  from  want,  if  he  had  not  met  half- 
way in  the  wilderness  a  starving  soldier,  returning 
home  from  Wayne's  army,  with  whom  he  divided  his 
last  morsel. 

The  pioneer  soldier,  as  well  as  the  pioneer 
preacher  of  those  days,  not  only  "  smelt  powder," 
but  often  were  subjected  to  other  trials,  to  which 
the  epauletted,  brass-buttoned  soldier  and  white- 
cravated,  black-vested  preacher  of  the  present  day 
are  strangers. 

It  was  some  time  before  the  young  itinerant  re- 
covered, and  his  horse,  a  noble  animal,  to  which  he 
was  much  attached,  did  not  recover  for  six  months. 
What  added  to  the  gloom  of  his  weary  and  desolate 
journey,  was  the  fact  that  he  passed  what  was 
called  the  "  Deserted  Camp,"  where  a  company  of 


162 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


thirty-two  white  persons  had  been  murdered  and 
scalped  by  the  Indians. 

Hard  times  with  the  preachers  have  not  yet 
passed  away  from  the  West.  There  are  yet  frontier 
regions  where  the  people  are  poor,  and  the  Gospel 
must  be  preached  to  them.  We  have  an  interest- 
ing incident  connected  with  the  experience  of  an 
itinerant,  which  we  will  give.  We  shall,  however, 
let  him  relate  it  in  his  own  simple,  touching  lan- 
guage, premising  that  the  reader  imagine  him  at 
the  seat  of  a  conference  in  a  Western  city,  with 
his  wife  and  children  stopping  at  the  house  of  a 
wealthy  member  of  the  Church : 

"  Up  to  the  close  of  conference,  I  have  kept 
faithfully  the  forty  dollars  reserved  for  the  purchase 
of  a  horse  so  soon  as  I  should  reach  my  new  cir- 
cuit. But  over  and  above  that  I  have  not  five  dol- 
lars, and  my  wife  and  children  all  want  new  shoes, 
and  my  boots  have  given  way  at  the  side;  they 
have  been  twice  half-soled,  and  the  uppers  won't 
stand  it  any  longer.  My  only  coat  is  all  thread- 
bare, and  white  at  the  seams;  that,  however,  is 
no  matter;  it  will  look  well  enough  back  in  the 
woods,  although  it  has  rather  a  shabby  appearance 
here  among  so  many  shining  new  black  ones.  But, 
besides  the  absolute  want  of  shoes  and  boots,  it 
will  cost  us  all  of  thirty  dollars  to  get  to  our  new 
home.    Where  then,  is  the  horse  to  come  from? 


THE 


PIONEEE  PREACHERS. 


163 


Be  still,  desponding  heart!  The  Lord  will  pro- 
vide. You  go  forth  in  his  cause,  and  he  will  take 
care  to  supply  the  armor,  if  you  will  always  keep 
it  bright  and  whole!  Yes,  yes,  weak,  timid, 
trembling  soldier  of  the  cross!  the  Captain  of 
your  salvation  will  go  before  you,  and  lead  you  on 
to  certain  victory.  Only  be  faithful :  look  not  back 
for  a  moment,  but  press  forward. 

"I  have  just  had  a  talk  with  Brother. T.  He 
called  in  very  kindly  to  give  me  all  the  advice, 
encouragement,  and  instruction  that  he  could  in 
regard  to  my  new  appointment ;  and  also  to  furnish 
me  with  a  list  of  the  names  of  some  of  the  promi- 
nent brethren.  There  is  no  parsonage  provided  for 
the  preacher's  family;  nor  do  the  people  pay  the 
rent  for  one.  But  a  log  cottage,  he  says,  with  a 
little  patch  of  ground  for  a  garden  and  pasturage, 
can  be  had  for  about  twenty  dollars  a  year.  A 
cow  will  cost  as  much  more.  But  where  is  the 
money  to  buy  her  to  come  from?  Ah  me!  If 
I  had  just  about  as  much  as  it  costs  three  or  four 
of  the  sisters  here  for  ribbons  and  laces,  how  rich 
I  should  be!  The  elegant  dinner-set,  upon  which 
our  food  is  served  here  every  day,  the  good  sister 
told  my  wife  cost  eighty  dollars.  There  w^as  a 
plainer  set  for  sixty;  but  the  first  set  had  a  gold 
band,  and  she  liked  it  best,  and  gave  twenty  dollars 
more  for  the  sake  of  the  gold  band.    Now,  just 


164 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


the  price  of  that  gold  band  on  the  dinner-set  would 
buy  me  a  cow.  Ah  me  !  These  thoughts  trouble  me. 
But  hush  !  hush !  poor,  doubting,  murmuring  heart ! 
Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's  wife,  nor  his 
man-servant,  nor  his  maid-servant,  nor  his  ox,  nor 
his  ass,  nor  anything  that  is  thy  neighbor's.  If 
the  good  Master  has  prospered  our  brother  and 
sister  in  their  basket  and  store,  I  ought  to  be 
thankful  to  him  on  their  account,  that  he  has  given 
them  the  good  things  of  life  with  a  liberal  hand. 

"  I  met  old  father  H  y  this  morning,  with 

his  cowhide  shoes  and  leather  strings,  wool  hat, 
coarse  coat,  and  shirt-collar  unbound  with  a  neck- 
cloth. It  is  two  years  since  last  I  saw  him.  "We 
talked  for  half  an  hour  about  matters  and  things. 
He  is  no  happier  than  when  I  last  met  him.  Not 
so  happy,  I  think.  The  luxurious  living  of  our  rich 
professors  troubles  his  soul.  He  has  lifted  his  voice 
against  it  faithfully,  and  enforced  his  precepts  of 
temperance  and  moderation  by  a  rigid,  self-denying 
example,  but  it  is  all  of  no  avail.  There  is  no  diminu- 
tion of  the  evil  he  complains  of.  His  own  perverse 
heart,  too,  causes  him  great  affliction.  The  bitter 
things  which  he  is  daily  compelled  to  write  against 
himself,  humble  *his  soul  to  the  dust.  He  finds,  he 
says,  every  day,  lower  and  lower  depths  of  evil  in 
his  own  heart,  the  discovery  of  which  fills  his  soul 
with  the  deepest  anguish.    Dear,  good  old  man! 


THE   PIONEER  PREACHERS. 


165 


His  troubles  and  liis  trials  here  will,  I  trust,  make 
him  richer  there.  I  cannot,  however,  coincide  with 
him  in  all  his  positions.  I  cannot  follow  him  in 
all  his  examples.  The  bounties  provided  by  nature, 
her  delicious  fruits,  sweet  flowers,  honey  from  the 
rock,  were  not  all  made  in  vain,  or  only  for  those 
who  look  not  for  good  things  beyond  this  world. 
They  are  all  for  us,  if  in  our  power  to  obtain  them ; 
and  to  me  it  seems  a  greater  sin  to  put  aside  the 
blessings  thus  provided  by  our  Father's  hand, 
than  to  receive  them,  and  use  them  with  thank- 
fulness. 

"  But  he  is  sincere,  and  the  Lord  looks  at  the 
neart.  I  wish  more  of  us  had  a  portion  of  his  self- 
denying  spirit.  I  am  sure  I  need  some  of  it  to  en- 
able me  to  bear  up  more  patiently  than  I  do.  I  do 
wish  I  could  never  feel  troubled  about  anything ; 
that  I  could  really  say  from  the  heart,  'Thy  will, 
not  mine,  be  done.'  I  often  say  as  much  with  the 
lips ;  but,  alas !  it  is,  I  fear,  only  from  the  teeth  out- 
ward. 

"  I  had  written  thus  far  in  my  journal,  when  my 
wife  came  in,  and,  holding  a  stout  bundle  in  her  hand, 
said,  with  a  cheerful  smile, 

"  6  What  do  you  think  this  contains,  dear  ?' 

"'I  don't  know,  I'm  sure,'  I  said.  ' What  does  it 
contain  ?' 

" '  You  shall  see,'  was  her  reply,  as  she  unrolled  it. 


166 


PIONEERS  OF    THE  WEST. 


"There  were  three  pairs  of  shoes  apiece  for  the 
children,  and  three  pairs  for  wife,  enough  to  last 
them  all  the  next  year.  Then  there  were  four  frocks 
apiece  for  the  little  ones,  and  four  new  gowns  for 
wife,  besides  various  other  matters,  such  as  muslin 
for  underclothes,  and  nice  warm  Canton  flannel,  and 
stockings ! 

"  6  Not  all  for  us  V  I  exclaimed,  in  astonishment, 
as  Mary  displayed  these  before  my  eyes. 

" '  Yes,  all  for  us.  May  the  Lord  reward  Sister 
A.  for  her  goodness :  we  cannot.'  Tears  of  thank- 
fulness were  in  her  eyes. 

" 1  Amen !'  I  responded,  fervently.  In  the  next 
moment  my  heart  smote  me  for  what  I  had  thought 
and  written  about  the  gold  bands  on  the  dinner-set. 
Several  times  since  I  have  turned  to  the  page  of  my 
journal  where  it  lies  recorded,  and  taken  up  my  pen 
to  erase  it.  But  I  have  as  often  determined  to  let  it 
remain.  It  presents  a  true  history  of  my  feelings, 
and  I  cannot  blot  it  out. 

"  After  supper  that  evening,  the  last  we  were  to 
spend  in  the  kind  family  of  Brother  and  Sister  A., 
Brother  A.  began  to  ask  about  my  new  circuit,  and 
how  I  expected  to  get  along  on  it.  I  felt  a  little 
delicacy  about  replying  to  his  questions,  for  I  could 
not  speak  very  encouragingly,  and  I  never  like  to 
make  a  poor  mouth.  But  he  was  in  earnest,  and 
cornered  me  so  closely,  that  I  had  to  tell  all  the  truth 


THE  PIONEER  PREACHERS. 


167 


about  the  means  the  circuit  afforded,  and  my  own 
poor  condition. 

"  i  And  so  you  still  have  your  "  horse  money"  safe  V 
he  said,  smiling,  after  he  had  got  all  out  of  me. 

"  '  Yes,  that  still  remains  untouched.  But  a  part 
will  have  to  go  for  stage  hire.  That  can't  be  helped. 
Though  I  doubt  not  something  will  turn  up,  and 
that  I  shall  get  a  horse  after  I  get  there  easily 
enough.  Horses  don't  cost  much  in  that  section 
of  the  country  ;  and  then,  to  add  to  what  is  left 
after  paying  our  fare,  I  hope  to  receive  about  ten 
dollars  for  the  sale  of  some  things  at  the  old  place, 
left  in  the  care  of  a  good  brother.  It  will  all  come 
right,  I  know,  Brother  A.  It  always  has  come 
right.5 

"  '  No  doubt,'  he  said.    6  The  Lord  will  provide.' 
"  Brother  A.  seemed  thoughtful  after  he  had  said 
this.    After  sitting  for  a  little  while,  he  said,  rising, 
"  <  Come,  Brother  B.' 

"  I  followed  him  up  stairs  into  his  chamber.  He 
closed  the  door,  and  then  opened  a  large  mahogany 
wardrobe,  well  stocked  with  clothes. 

" '  You  and  I  are  near  about  the  same  size,'  he 
said,  taking  down  a  black  frock  coat,  that  was  very 
little  worn.  i  Try  on  this,  and  see  how  near  it  will 
come  to  fitting  you.  I  have  not  worn  it  for  some 
months,  and  it  is  a  pity  to  let  the  moths  get  into 
it.    There!'  he  continued,  as  I  drew  on  the  coat, 


168 


PIONEERS    OF    THE  WEST. 


c  it  fits  you  just  as  well  as  if  it  had  been  made  for 
you,  and  scarcely  shows  the  wear  it  has  had.  Let 
me  see,'  he  added,  turning  again  to  the  wardrobe, 
'  what  else  we  have  here.  Ah  !  this  is  just  the  thing 
for  you,'  bringing  out  an  overcoat,  made  of  stout 
beaver  cloth.  '  You  will  want  just  such  a  thing  as 
this  next  winter.  It  will  keep  you  as  warm  as  toast 
while  riding  among  those  snowy  hills.  I  found  it 
almost  too  heavy  for  me  last  winter.  But  to  ride  in 
it  will  be  the  dandy.' 

"  He  did  not  stop  here.  Two  pairs  of  good  panta- 
loons, as  many  vests,  and  a  pair  of  excellent  boots, 
were  added  to  these.  I  tried  to  thank  him,  but  my 
voice  was  so  husky  that  I  could  not  articulate  dis- 
tinctly. The  remembrance,  too,  of  what  I  had 
thought  and  written  down  about  the  gold  bands  on 
the  dinner-set,  with  other  reflections  not  clothed  in 
words,  choked  me.  Nor  did  he  stop  yet.  Next 
morning,  as  I  shook  hands  with  him,  and  bade  him 
farewell,  he  left  two  pieces  of  gold  in  my  hands, 
saying  as  he  did  so,  with  a  smile, 

"  '  Don't  touch  the  "  horse  money,"  Brother  B.  A 
minister  can't  walk  around  his  circuit.' 

"  Excellent  man  !  May  the  Lord  reward  him ! 
As  for  me,  I  feel  humbled  before  my  Master  for 
my  want  of  faith.  So  many,  many  times  has  he 
brought  me  safely  out  of  the  wilderness  into  a  clear 
place,  and  yet  I  am  unwilling  to  trust  him." 


THE  PIONEER  PREACHERS. 


169 


The  preachers  of  those  days  were  not  as  fastidious 
as  some  we  wot  of  at  the  present  day.  They  were 
usually  fearless  and  independent,  and  uttered  the 
truth  without  regard  to  their  audience.  We  recol- 
lect distinctly  a  petition  in  their  prayers  at  that 
time  that  we  rarely  or  never  hear  at  the  present 
day.  It  ran  thus :  "  O  Lord,  deliver  us  from  the 
fear  of  man  which  bringeth  a  snare,  and  grant  that 
we  may  not  shun  to  declare  thy  whole  counsel  to 
dying  sinners,  whether  they  will  hear  or  forbear. 
May  we  preach  without  fear  or  favor,  and  attend 
thy  word  with  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and 
power." 

As  illustrative  of  this  class  of  pioneer  preachers, 
we  will  relate  an  incident  that  occurred  in  the 
Southwest.  A  certain  presiding  elder,  on  his  round, 
came  to  a  town  on  one  of  the  circuits  where  quar- 
terly meeting  was  to  be  held,  and,  putting  up  his 
horse  late  on  Saturday  evening,  waited  for  the 
Sabbath.  The  church,  as  is  usual  on  such  occa- 
sions, was  crowded  in  every  part.  The  preacher  in 
charge  was  a  young  man  of  not  much  experience, 
though  devoted  to  his  work,  and  striving  hard  to 
please  the  people  in  all  things,  so  that  he  might 
win  them  to  religion.  Just  as  the  elder,  a  fine, 
sturdy  specimen  of  a  backwoods  preacher,  was 
announcing  his  text,  he  felt  the  tail  of  his  coat  sud- 
denly jerked.    Turning  round  in  the  midst  of  the 


1T0 


PIONEERS  OF   THE  WEST. 


sentence,  the  young  preacher,  with  great  trepida- 
tion, whispered,  "  General  Jackson  is  in  the  congre- 
gation." The  elder,  feeling  indignant  at  the  inter- 
ruption, which  was  noticed  by  all,  raising  his  voice, 
still  looking  at  the  preacher,  who  had  his  head 
down,  exclaimed,  "Who  is  General  Jackson?  God 
Almighty  will  damn  him,  if  he  don't  repent,  as 
soon  as  he  would  an  unconverted  Guinea  nigger." 
Then,  turning,  he  resumed  the  reading  of  his  text. 
The  general,  then  President  of  the  United  States, 
on  a  visit  to  the  West,  was  standing  in  the  aisle, 
leaning  against  a  post.  He  listened  with  great 
attention  and  interest  to  the  sermon,  showing,  as 
he  did  on  all  occasions,  great  respect  for  religion 
and  the  worship  of  God. 

The  young  preacher  was  so  mortified  that  he 
could  not  hold  up  his  head  during  the  meeting; 
and  when  it  was  over,  he  modestly  hinted  to  the 
elder  that  his  rough  remark  had  ruined  everything, 
and,  as  he  was  the  innocent  occasion  of  it,  his  ser- 
vices would  be  of  no  further  benefit  in  that  place. 
The  elder  chid  him  for  his  pusillanimity,  and  told 
him  to  have  more  of  the  fear  of  God  than  man  be- 
fore his  eyes. 

Early  next  morning  the  young  divine  took  the 
earliest  opportunity  to  visit  the  general,  having 
some  acquaintance  with  him,  for  the  purpose  of 
making  an  apology.    He  had  scarcely  commenced, 


THE   PIONEER  PREACHERS. 


171 


when  Old  Hickory  said,  "Give  yourself  no  uneasi- 
ness, my  young  friend.  I  like  that  preacher's  fear- 
less, independent  manner.  He  fears  his  Master 
more  than  man,  and  such  a  preacher  I  admire." 

As  the  elder  was  passing  down  street  in  the 
afternoon,  the  general  saw  him  from  the  opposite 
side,  and,  crossing  over,  introduced  himself.  After 
some  words  of  conversation,  he  remarked  that  the 
young  preacher  had  been  to  see  him,  and  related 
the  conversation  which  passed  between  them.  On 
taking  the  elder  by  the  hand  at  leaving,  he  pre- 
sented him  with  twenty-five  dollars,  saying,  "This 
may  help  you  in  your  work.  Go  on,  and  discharge 
it  in  the  fear  of  God."  It  was  this  same  old  Roman 
who,  on  hearing  a  complaint  from  one  of  his  officers 
against  a  party  of  Methodist  soldiers  in  his  camp, 
who  were  holding  prayer-meeting,  said  in  reply, 
"  God  forbid  that  the  voice  of  prayer  in  my  camp 

should  be  disorderly.    Go,  sir,  to  your  post." 

11 


172 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST 


CHAPTEE  VI. 

PIONEER  INSTITUTIONS  AND  PROFESSIONAL  MEN. 

The  first  laws  were  made  to  suit  the  exigences  of  the 
times,  and  were  adapted  to  the  condition  and  circum- 
stances of  those  who  were  to  be  governed  by  them. 
Hence,  the  laws  made  by  the  general  government  for 
the  Western  territories,  though  in  accordance  with  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  in  all  general 
features  resembling  those  of  the  states,  were,  never- 
theless, accommodated  in  some  particulars  to  the 
condition  of  the  people.  Under  these  laws  the  terri- 
torial governments  were  organized,  and  the  judiciary 
constituted. 

We  have  already  alluded  to  the  first  permanent 
settlement  of  the  Northwestern  Territory  by  the 
Ohio  Company.  In  the  Campus  Martius,  on  the 
first  day  of  September,  1788,  the  first  court  under  the 
forms  of  civil  jurisprudence  was  opened.  The  deci- 
sions at  the  council  fires  of  the  Indian,  or  at  the  camp 
of  the  pioneer,  constituted,  until  this  time,  the  only 
rule  of  action  for  the  savage  and  the  civilized.  At 
the  time  of  which  we  are  writing,  General  Harmar, 


PIONEER  INSTITUTIONS. 


173 


with  his  regulars,  occupied  Fort  Harmar.  Governor 
St.  Clair,  and  Judges  .S.  H.  Parsons  and  J.  M.  Yar- 
num,  of  the  Supreme  Court,  having  arrived  and  made 
arrangements  for  the  adoption  of  such  laws  as  were 
adapted  to  the  new  colony,  the  governor  appointed 
such  civil  officers  as  were  necessary  for  carrying  into 
effect  said  laws. 

The  period  for  the  opening  of  the  Temple  of  Justice 
in  the  West  had  come.  It  was  an  important  era,  and 
destined  to  mark  with  its  influence  all  subsequent 
time.  Great  importance  was  accordingly  attached  to 
the  event  by  the  pioneers.  All  things  being  in  readi- 
ness, a  procession  was  formed  at  the  point  on  the 
banks  of  the  Ohio  where  most  of  the  settlers  resided; 
and  the  high  sheriff,  with  his  drawn  sword,  stepping  in 
front,  was  followed  by  the  citizens,  then  by  the  officers 
of  the  garrison.  After  these  came  the  members  of 
the  bar,  then  the  Supreme  judges,  followed  by  the 
governor  and  clergyman;  and,  finally,  the  newly-ap- 
pointed judges  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  Gen- 
erals Putnam  and  Tupper. 

The  procession  marched  along  a  path  that  had  been 
cut  and  cleared  through  the  forest  for  that  purpose, 
up  to  Campus  Martius,  or  "  the  stockade,"  as  it  was 
called.  On  arriving  at  the  place,  the  procession 
countermarched,  and  Putnam  and  Tupper  advanced 
to  the  hall  in  the  northwest  block-house,  where  they 
took  their  seats :  the  first  judges  enthroned  upon  a 


174 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


bench  in  the  Western  wilderness,  to  dispense  equal 
and  exact  justice  to  all.  When  all  was  still,  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Cutler  addressed  the  throne  of  grace,  invoking 
most  fervently  the  blessings  of  heaven  upon  the  court 
and  its  officers. 

The  sheriff  was  then  directed  to  call  the  court, 
which  he  did  by  the  following  outcry :  "  O  yes,  O  yes! 
The  Court  is  opened  for  the  administration  of  even- 
handed  justice  to  the  poor  and  the  rich,  to  the  guilty 
and  innocent,  without  respect  of  persons ;  none  to  be 
punished  without  a  trial  by  their  peers,  and  then  in 
pursuance  of  the  laws  and  evidence  in  the  case." 

It  was  an  interesting,  if  not  a  sublime  spectacle,  to 
witness  the  solemn  and  imposing  ceremonies  con- 
nected with  the  opening  of  this,  the  first  court  north- 
west of  the  Ohio.  The  scene  was  rendered  still  more 
interesting  by  the  presence  of  a  large  body  of  Indians, 
who  had  been  collected  together  from  the  most  pow- 
erful tribes  occupying  the  entire  West.  They  were 
assembled  at  Marietta  for  the  purpose  of  making  a 
treaty;  and  as  the  dark  chiefs  looked  upon  the  council 
of  the  pale  face,  who,  in  the  name  of  the  Great  Spirit, 
had  taken  possession  of  the  land,  their  minds  must 
have  been  excited  with  peculiar  emotions. 

The  hall  of  the  block-house  was  occupied  as  a  court- 
room for  ten  years,  when,  under  the  superintendence 
of  Dudley  Woodbridge  and  Griffin  Green,  Esqs.,  a 
building  was  erected  for  that  purpose.   This  court- 


PIONEER  INSTITUTIONS. 


175 


house  inclosed  the  prison  also,  which  was  built  of 
such  heavy  material,  and  so  securely  barred,  that 
whoever  crossed  its  threshold  shut  out  all  hope,  until 
the  law  was  satisfied  with  the  penalty  it  inflicted. 
No  prisoner  was  ever  known  to  escape  from  its  walls; 
and  to  this  day  it  is  one  of  the  strongest  prisons  in  the 
state.  In  the  then  spacious  court-room,  many  of  the 
pioneer  lawyers  displayed  their  legal  abilities,  and 
uttered  their  forensic  eloquence,  in  the  presence  of 
the  numerous  settlers  who,  on  court  days,  would  come 
from  all  parts  of  the  West,  some  out  of  curiosity,  and 
others  as  principals  or  witnesses  in  suits.  In  this 
room,  now  deserted,  having  in  process  of  time  been 
superseded  by  one  larger  and  more  elegant  in  the 
new  brick  court-house,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
street,  Meigs,  and  Fearing,  and  Burnet,  and  Ham- 
mond, and  Beecher,  and  Ewing,  with  many  others, 
commenced,  as  lawyers,  their  brilliant  career. 

The  pioneer  lawyer,  like  the  pioneer  explorer,  and 
settler,  and  preacher,  had  to  undergo  like  toils  and 
hardships.  They  had  to  travel  hundreds  of  miles,  and 
pack  their  provisions  on  horses,  often  encountering 
Indians  on  their  blazed  path  through  the  desert,  swim- 
ming rivers  and  camping  out  in  the  woods.  They 
could  not  then  sit  in  their  offices,  and,  by  whispering 
a  few  words  to  their  clients,  turn  round  on  their  cush- 
ioned chairs  and  charge  a  hundred  dollars  for  their 
legal  advice.    No  immense  estates  were  then  involved 


176 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


in  the  tangled  meslies  of  litigation,  nor  were  any  left 
to  be  settled  by  the  demise  of  their  owners.  The 
most  that  the  settler  had  was  a  cabin  and  a  patch, 
and  if  he  should  unfortunately  get  into  litigation  about 
a  land  boundary,  or  a  stray  sheep  or  hog,  or  a  con- 
tract, the  most  that  the  lawyer  could  hope  for  was  a 
limited  fee,  and  often  that  had  to  be  paid  in  country 
produce,  such  as  ginseng,  beeswax,  and  tallow,  or  coon 
skins.  Heavy  suits  and  fat  fees  were  reserved  for 
other  times,  such  as  it  is  our  privilege  or  misfortune 
to  have  fallen  upon. 

The  lawyers  of  those  days,  like  the  preachers  and 
the  doctors,  were  not  only  of  that  nerve  and  daring 
of  which  the  pioneers  of  all  new  countries  are  com- 
posed, but  they  were  men  of  thought  and  study,  of 
diligence  and  enterprise,  and  they  contributed  much 
toward  laying  the  foundations  of  the  mighty  empire 
of  the  West.  They  were  not,  generally  speaking,  so 
wrapped  up  in  selfishness  that  they  could  only  look 
after  their  own  interests,  but  they  were  alive  to  what- 
ever had  a  tendency  to  develop  the  resources  of  the 
West,  educationally,  religiously,  and  politically. 
Though  many  of  the  Western  lawyers  were,  like  the 
members  of  the  other  professions,  poor,  and  lived  in 
their  cabins  and  raised  their  corn,  they  were  benevo- 
lent, and  always  ready  to  lend  a  helping  hand  at  a 
raising  or  a  log-rolling.  This  remark  will  apply  par- 
ticularly to  the  early  physicians,  whose  long  rides,  by 


PIONEER  INSTITUTIONS.  177 

day  and  night,  to  visit  the  sick  in  distant  settlements, 
often  without  the  hope  of  fee  or  reward,  gave  evidence 
of  the  generousness  of  their  nature.  They  deserved 
a  competency,  but  many  of  them  lived  and  died 
poor. 

Nor  were  the  pioneers  in  the  learned  professions 
a  whit  behind,  in  attainments,  their  more  favored 
brethren  of  the  present  day.  If  they  had  fewer  books, 
they  were  the  more  thoroughly  studied.  Their  minds 
were  not  diverted  every  week  by  a  fresh  importation 
of  law,  medicine,  and  theology,  from  England,  Ger- 
many, or  France,  or  from  the  thousands  of  presses  of 
our  own  country.  The  lawyer  was  shut  up  to  Black- 
stone,  the  physician  to  Cullen,  and  the  divine  to  his 
Bible  ;  and  the  result  was,  that  they  were  alike  thor- 
oughly grounded  in  the  principles  of  their  profes- 
sions. 

Nor  did  they  turn  aside  from  their  avocations  to 
dabble  in  other  matters  foreign  to  their  several  pur- 
suits. The  lawyer  then  had  neither  time  nor  inclina- 
tion to  leave  his  office,  briefs,  and  clients,  and  stump 
it  around  the  country  for  himself  or  some  other  candi- 
date for  political  distinction.  Nor  could  the  physician 
forsake  his  patients  for  any  enterprise  that  might  pre- 
sent itself.  He  felt  his  responsibility  press  upon  him 
too  heavily  for  that.  The  preacher  had  no  disposi- 
tion, and  dare  not  encourage  it  if  he  had,  either  to 
connect  some  other  profession  with  his,  and  become  a 


178 


PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


preaching  doctor  or  a  praying  lawyer,  or  much  less 
to  engage  in  stock-jobbing  and  land  speculations. 
Every  man  stood  to  his  post,  and  nobly  battled  with 
the  difficulties  with  which  he  was  surrounded. 

These  men  lived  and  toiled  nobly  in  laying  the 
foundations  of  the  civil,  literary,  and  religious  insti- 
tutions of  the  West ;  and  we  have  entered  into  their 
labors  and  received  the  rich  inheritance  purchased  by 
their  toils.  Following  the  log-church  and  court-house 
came  the  school-house.  At  a  very  early  day,  how- 
ever, before  a  government  was  organized,  the  Mora- 
vian missionaries  had  opened  schools  among  the 
Indians  at  Bethlehem,  Shonbrun,  and  Gnadenhut- 
ten.  The  Rev.  D.  Story,  who  had  been  sent  out  to 
Marietta,  came  as  a  minister  and  a  teacher,  and  was, 
doubtless,  the  pioneer  professional  teacher  of  the 
West.  About  this  time,  however,  a  lady,  by  the 
name  of  Rouse,  taught  a  school  of  boys  and  girls  at 
Belpr6,  and  it  is  thought  by  some  that  this  was  the 
first  school  opened  in  the  West.  From  this  place  she 
went  several  successive  summers  and  taught  school 
within  the  walls  of  Farmer's  Castle,  the  name  of  a 
strong  garrison  built  on  the  Ohio,  about  sixteen  miles 
below  Marietta. 

The  probability  is  that  the  first  Sunday  school  in 
America  was  commenced  in  Campus  Martius,  by  a 
lady  named  Mrs.  Andrew  Lake.  Seeing  the  children 
at  the  fort  spending  their  Sabbaths  in  frivolous  amuse- 


PIONEER  INSTITUTIONS. 


179 


ments,  she  thought  she  would  contrive  to  get  them 
together,  and  impart  instruction  to  them.  Accord- 
ingly, one  Sabbath,  after  the  Rev.  Mr.  Story  had 
concluded  his  religious  exercises,  she  proposed  to  as 
many  children  as  would  come  together,  that  she 
should  devote  her  time  to  their  instruction.  The 
result  was,  that  she  obtained  about  twenty;  and 
every  Sabbath  she  would  meet  them,  and  teach 
them  the  questions  and  answers  of  the  "Westminster 
Catechism,  and  lessons  from  the  Bible. 

We  have  a  vivid  recollection  of  these  pioneer 
schools,  both  of  those  taught  on  the  Sabbath  and 
week  days.  The  old  log  school-houses  in  which 
we  received  the  first  literary  light  from  Dilworth's 
Spelling-book,  are  fresh  in  our  recollection.  Like 
other  log-houses,  the  chimney,  or  fire-place,  extended 
nearly  across  one  entire  end  of  the  building ;  and  in 
the  winter  season,  the  time  when  these  schools  were 
most  patronized,  a  huge  log-fire  was  built,  which  sent 
out  its  genial  heat,  and  often  its  annoying  smoke. 
It  was  supplied  with  more  windows  than  cabins  for 
dwellings  usually  had,  to  allow  greater  light  to  schol- 
ars as  well  as  to  master.  We  imagine  that  we  can 
see  Master  Black,  or  Spry,  or  Pherson,  now  standing 
beside  one  of  those  windows,  the  panes  of  which  were 
of  paper,  and  made  transparent  by  oiling  or  greasing 
them,  making  a  pen,  with  a  scholar  standing  beside, 
casting  furtive  glances  around.    The  former  of  these 


180  PIONEERS   OP  THE  WEST. 


teachers  was  a  thorough  believer  in  the  Proverbs  of 
Solomon,  "The  rod  and  reproof  give  wisdom;"  "A 
rod  for  the  fool's  back ;"  "  He  that  spareth  the  rod  is 
not  wise,"  &c.  At  least,  such  was  our  opinion ;  for 
he  was  never  seen  in  the  school-room  without  having 
a  stout  hickory  in  his  hand  or  under  his  arm ;  and  oft- 
en have  we  felt  its  power  to  stir  the  sluggish  thought, 
and  make  "the  young  idea  shoot."  Sometimes, 
when  he  was  not  in  a  particularly  good  humor,  he 
would,  at  finding  a  slight  disturbance  on  one  of  the 
seats,  apply  his  rod  to  the  backs  of  all  who  happened 
to  be  sitting  upon  it ;  calculating  that  if  any  of  them 
were  not  then  deserving  punishment,  it  would  not  be 
long  before  they  would  merit  all  they  got. 

There  was  one  scholar  in  the  school  for  whom  the 
master  had  a  particular  dislike,  from  some  cause  or 
other.  He  did  not  seem  to  make  very  rapid  advance- 
ment in  his  studies ;  whether  he  lacked  the  capacity 
or  not  we  are  not  able  to  tell,  as  we  always  had 
enough  to  do  to  work  out  our  own  sums.  "  Jef,"  for 
that  was  the  name  by  which  he  was  known,  had  a 
wonderful  proclivity  to  go  fishing,  or  swimming,  or 
apple-stealing,  which  latter  could  easily  be  done  by 
swimming  the  river  and  entering  the  orchard,  which 
stood  on  its  banks.  He  was  a  stout,  burly  fellow, 
and  did  not  seem  much  to  mind  a  whaling  or  lick- 
ing, and  would  coolly  make  his  calculations  accord- 
ingly. 


PIONEER  INSTITUTIONS. 


181 


One  afternoon,  just  after  the  boys  had  been  called 
in  from  play,  Jef  was  seen  turning  the  corner  of  a 
fence,  which  inclosed  an  open  lot  in  the  town.  The 
master  spied  him,  and,  spitting  on  both  his  hands, 
he  grasped  tightly  his  hickory,  and  sallied  forth  to 
meet  him.  Jef  saw  him  coming,  and  took  to  his 
heels.  This,  of  course,  brought  out  all  the  scholars 
to  see  the  sport.  It  would  not  do  to  run  into  the 
thickly-settled  parts  of  the  town;  Jef  was  too  old, 
and  had  too  much  pride  for  that ;  so,  taking  a  circuit, 
he  broke  for  the  meadow,  in  the  corner  of  which  the 
school-house  stood.  The  master  was  evidently  gain- 
ing upon  him  every  jump ;  but  J ef  cleared  the  stake 
and  ridered  fence,  and  gained  the  other  side  ere  he 
felt  the  rod. 

Now*  our  pedagogue  was  a  resolute  man,  and  he 
was  not  to  be  out-done  or  out-run  by  such  a  lubber; 
and  as  he  saw  that  the  whole  school  was  witnessing 
the  race  Olympic,  he  bounded  over  the  fence  after 
him  with  renewed  vigor,  determined  to  capture  the 
fugitive,  paying  him  well,  not  only  for  playing  truant, 
but  for  running  away  from  him.  Hotly  pursued,  Jef 
turned  his  head  round,  to  see  how  near  his  foe  was 
upon  him,  when  he  stumbled  and  fell,  and  the  master, 
close  behind,  being  unable  to  stop,  tumbled  over  him. 
Jef  gathered  up  and  took  the  back  track ;  for  the  mas- 
ter, like  the  good  wolf-dog  the  fellow  bragged  about, 
"was  a  leetle  ahead."    About  half  way  between  the 


182 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


place  of  his  fall  and  the  school-house,  he  was  over- 
taken, and  at  every  jump  Jef  caught  the  hickory, 
receiving  the  last  as  he  tumbled  over  the  fence  and 
crawled  into  the  school-house.  We  looked  for  a 
general  overhauling  when  the  old  fellow  came  in,  for 
our  disorder;  but  he  had  exhausted  his  wrath  on  poor 
Jef 's  back,  and  the  remainder  of  the  day  was  spent 
in  quietness.  It  did  seem  that  he  took  particular 
pleasure  in  beating  poor  Jef,  who  bore  it  like  an  ox, 
and  grew  fat  upon  it. 

There  was  in  the  school  another  scholar,  whom  we 
will  call  Jim,  who  was  also  rather  stupid,  or  indis- 
posed to  learn.  He  lisped  very  much.  He  could 
read  tolerably  well,  and  write;  but  how  to  cipher 
was  the  mischief.  For  many  a  day  he  had  been 
toiling  to  get  the  multiplication  table;  but  he  invari- 
ably stalled  when  he  got  as  far  as  three  times  seven. 
The  master  thought,  one  day,  that  he  was  so  much 
confused  by  the  noise  in  the  school,  that  perhaps,  if 
he  would  let  him  go  out  and  sit  in  the  shade,  in  the 
rear  of  the  school-house,  his  mind  would  become 
clear,  and  he  could  penetrate  the  mystery.  Ac- 
cordingly, he  sent  him  out,  telling  him  when  he  had 
mastered  the  difficulty  to  return.  After  remaining 
out  about  an  hour,  he  sent  one  of  the  scholars  to  call 
him  in.  The  one  he  sent — a  bright-eyed  boy,  long 
since  passed  away — crept  softly  round  the  house  to 
listen  to  Jim's  arithmetical  exercises.    There  he  sat, 


PIONEER  INSTITUTIONS. 


183 


with  his  slate  on  his  lap  and  his  head  resting  upon 
one  of  his  hands,  repeating,  "Theven  and  theven  are 
fowerteen ;  but  thee  time  theven  the  devil  couldn't 
yeckon  without  figying,  and  figying,  and  figying." 
He  was  aroused  from  his  profound  mental  abstrac- 
tion, and  called  in.  Whether  he  ever  learned  how 
much  three  times  seven  are,  we  have  never  ascer- 
tained. He  is  now  a  merchant,  and  can  speak  for 
himself.    Poor  J ef,  we  wot  not  what  became  of  him. 

The  other  teachers  were  of  a  different  cast;  and 
though  they  sometimes  inflicted  punishment,  it  was 
in  a  different  way.  They  were  qualified  for  their 
business;  and  did  not,  as  many  young  men  of  the 
present  day,  teach  a  quarter  to  make  a  raise  simply, 
but  they  made  it  a  profession. 

Provision  was  made  at  an  early  day  for  the  ed- 
ucation of  the  youth  of  the  West.  One  of  the  ar- 
rangements of  the  Ohio  Company  provided  for  the 
endowment  of  a  Northwestern  University,  by  set- 
ting apart  two  townships  of  land;  and  the  Ohio 
University,  or  Athens  College,  is  the  result  of  that 
endowment.  A  similar  appropriation  was  made  in 
the  Symmes  purchase,  and  the  Miami  University  was 
endowed.  Both  of  these  are  flourishing  institutions, 
and  many  of  the  first  minds  of  the  West  have  been 
educated  within  their  walls. 

The  present  system  of  common  school  education 
adopted  by  most  of  the  Western  states,  providing 


184 


PIONEERS  OF   THE  WEST. 


as  it  does  for  graded  schools,  is  one  of  the  most 
admirable  in  the  world;  and  its  peculiar  advantage 
is,  that  all  children  are  thus  provided  with  the 
facilities  for  obtaining  a  thorough  education.  Indeed, 
the  system  is  in  advance  of  our  present  race  of 
educators,  the  most  of  whom  are  verdant  young 
men  and  women  from  the  East,  educated,  vigorous 
Western  minds  seeking  other  and  more  profitable 
employment. 


PIONEER  BOATMEN. 


185 


CHAPTEK  VII. 

PIONEER  BOATMEN. 

The  broad  and  beautiful  rivers  of  the  West  were 
first  navigated  by  the  light  bark  canoe  of  the  In- 
dian, which  sped  over  their  surface,  scarcely  creat- 
ing a  ripple.  Softly  and  swiftly  they  glided  up  and 
down  the  streams,  and  along  the  shores.  Where 
nothing  broke  the  solitude  but  the  dip  of  the 
paddle  or  the  crack  of  the  rifle,  they  might 
have  been  found  tied,  and  almost  concealed  from 
sight  among  the  willows  and  shrubs  which  lined 
the  banks.  The  paddles  were  never  left  in  the 
canoe,  but  were  always  taken  into  the  forest  and 
hid  in  a  brush  heap,  or  a  hollow  log,  that  the 
temptation  to  steal  might  be  lessened  by  the  im- 
possibility of  using  the  canoe  without  the  necessary 
propellers. 

Next,  in  the  history  of  navigation,  came  the 
flat  bottoms,  or  broad  horns,  as  they  were  called, 
constructed  on  a  large  scale,  and  of  burden  suffi- 
cient to  carry  a  large  freight,  besides  capacity  for 
stowing  away  numerous  families.    They  were,  how- 


186  PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


ever,  so  unmanageable  as  to  be  of  but  little  ser- 
vice, except  when  the  rivers  were  at  high  flood; 
for  if  they  should  fail  to  strike  the  channel,  they 
would,  in  consequence  of  the  amount  of  water 
which  they  drew,  in  boatmen's  parlance,  or  the 
depth  they  sunk,  be  liable  to  be  staved  by  the 
rocks  and  snags  in  the  bed  of  the  stream.  Many 
are  the  wrecks  which  have  been  strewed  along  the 
"Western  rivers,  occasioned  by  attempting  to  pass 
down  them  in  a  low  stage  of  water.  One  of  this 
description  comes  painfully  to  the  remembrance 
of  the  writer.  In  the  summer  of  1815,  the  father 
of  the  writer,  with  his  family,  consisting  of  five 
children,  in  company  with  several  other  families, 
left  Pittsburgh  in  one  of  these  crafts,  for  the  mouth 
of  the  Muskingum,  the  destination  being  Zanesville. 
Without  meeting  with  any  accident,  save  that  the 
writer  fell  overboard  and  was  near  being  drowned, 
they  arrived  safe  at  Wheeling.  After  remaining 
there  a  short  time,  the  cable  was  untied,  and  the 
broad  horn,  sweeping  around  in  a  graceful  curve, 
took  the  current  and  floated  on  her  journey.  A 
huge  oar  was  attached  to  each  side  of  the  boat 
on  the  deck,  near  the  center,  and  a  steering  oar, 
about  twenty-five  feet  long,  extended  from  the  stern. 
Having  approached  a  ripple,  or  falls,  in  the  Ohio, 
every  one  was  summoned  to  the  oars  to  keep  the 
boat  in  the  channel.    But,  with  all  their  exertions. 


PIONEER  BOATMEN. 


187 


this  could  not  be  effected,  and  our  ill-fated  bark 
ran  upon  a  large,  smooth,  round  rock,  and  stove  in 
the  bottom.  She  soon  swung  round,  and  the  water 
came  rushing  through  the  chasm.  Women  and 
children  were  quickly  hoisted  on  deck,  and  every- 
thing that  could  be  raised  was  placed  there  to  pro- 
tect it  from  the  water.  The  boat  having  sunk  all 
it  could,  settled  down  in  the  sand.  With  the 
skiff  the  passengers  were  by  successive  loads  taken 
ashore,  where  tents  were  constructed  on  the  beach 
of  the  sheets  sewed  together,  and  stretched  on  poles 
cut  from  the  adjoining  forest.  There  we  remained 
until  the  boat  was  unloaded,  hauled  out  of  the 
water,  brought  on  shore,  turned  over  on  its  side, 
and  repaired,  which  took  many  days. 

At  length  the  time  for  a  launch  came,  and  the  boat 
was  again  on  the  waters.  Having  passed  the  danger- 
ous ripples  and  chutes,  the  voyagers  met  with  no  ob- 
struction until  they  arrived  safe  at  their  destination, 
where,  procuring  wagons,  the  families  were  trans- 
ported across  the  country  to  Zanesville. 

At  this  place  we  have  often  seen  feats  performed  in 
boating  by  the  Muskingum  river-men  that  were  truly 
astonishing.  During  the  spring  and  fall  freshets  boats 
would  be  built  at  Zanesville  and  Putnam  of  the  same 
kind  we  have  been  describing,  only  bearing  the  name 
of  "  Orleans  boats,"  from  the  fact  that  they  were  usu- 
ally loaded  with  flour  and  produce  of  various  kinds 


188 


PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


for  the  lower  trade,  but  principally  New-Orleans. 
A  trip  to  New-Orleans  in  those  days  was  considered 
a  tremendous  journey,  equal  to,  if  not  greater  than, 
one  across  the  plains  to  California  now.  Many  young 
men  of  our  acquaintance  considered  it  the  sum  of 
romance  to  take  a  trip  to  New-Orleans.  The  voyage 
down,  beset  as  it  was  with  all  the  dangers  of  the  river 
and  the  disease  of  a  Southern  climate,  exposed  upon 
the  turbid  Mississippi,  with  a  broiling  sun  pouring 
down  its  rays,  living  upon  " Brock's"  water-crackers, 
and  "  Taylor's  "  bacon,  with  an  occasional  draught  of 
"  Buckingham's  store  coffee,"  without  milk,  was, 
nevertheless,  not  as  tedious  and  perilous  as  the  return 
trips  through  the  wilderness.  There  were  then  no 
steamers  to  breast  the  tide,  and,  on  horseback  or,  as 
was  more  frequently  the  case,  on  foot,  the  boatmen 
had  to  push  their  way,  with  their  hard  earnings, 
through  the  swamps  and  forests,  exposed  to  the  sav- 
ages, and  liable,  as  the  Irishman  said,  to  be  "  kilt, 
murthered,  and  drownded."  Often  have  we  sat,  on  a 
moonlight  night,  in  the  office  of  the  adventurous 
and  noble-hearted  Thompson,  in  company  with  the 
hunters  and  boatmen,  Scales  and  Boyd,  and  the 
fearless  Hahn,  (whom  we  afterward,  with  others, 
assisted  in  carrying  to  his  grave  in  the  mountain 
cemetery  which  overlooks  the  town,  whose  sacred 
dust  incloses  the  adventurous  pioneer  Zane  and 
others,  with  hosts  of  loved  ones  sleeping  there,"! 


PIONEER  BOATMEN. 


189 


and  listened  with  delight  to  the  adventures  and 
hair-breadth  escapes,  as  narrated  by  these  pioneer 
boatmen. 

Scales  and  the  Boyds — Hercules  and  Absalom — 
were  unrivaled  hunters  and  marksmen,  and  such 
was  their  reputation  that  none  would  enter  the  lists 
at  a  shooting  match  where  they  had  a  chance.  Who 
that  recollects  these  men  cannot  call  to  remembrance 
the  loads  of  venison  and  turkeys  with  which  they 
supplied  the  Zanesville  market  for  years?  They  were 
all  river  men,  and,  though  they  had  families,  they 
would  be  gone  from  them  on  their  hunts  or  Orleans 
trips  for  months.  Scales  has  taken  many  a  boat  to 
the  far  South  for  the  merchants  of  Zanesville.  As  a 
steersman,  he  could  strike  a  channel  with  as  much 
precision  as  he  could  drive  a  center  with  a  ball  from 
his  long  rifle.  "We  have  often  seen  him  shoot  a 
squirrel  at  the  distance  of  a  hundred  yards.  "Boys," 
said  he  to  a  party  of  us  one  day,  as  we  were  return- 
ing home  from  a  visit  to  his  cabin  on  the  Muskingum, 
"  do  you  see  that  black  squirrel  yonder,  on  the  side 
of  that  oak?"  We  looked  in  the  direction.  It  was 
far  on  the  other  side  of  the  fence,  so  far  that  it  was 
difficult  to  distinguish  it.  "  I  will  shoot  that  squirrel 
for  you,  as  it  is  right  in  your  path  home."  We 
laughed  at  the  idea ;  but  he  drew  up  his  rifle  and 
fired,  and  down  came  the  squirrel,  to  the  astonish- 
ment of  all.    We  hear  a  great  deal  about  Sharp's 


190 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


rifles,  of  their  ability  to  carry  a  ball  nearly  a  mile, 
but  we  doubt  if  they  will  ever  be  of  much  service 
unless  they  can  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  such  marks- 
men as  roamed  the  Western  forests  when  "  we  were 
but  a  boy." 

But  we  have  wandered.  We  intended  to  describe 
more  particularly  the  pioneer  boatmen  of  the  West. 
They  cannot,  however,  be  dissociated  from  the  hunt- 
ers, for  a  river  man  in  those  days  was  a  hunter. 

At  Zanesville  there  is  quite  a  fall  in  the  river,  01 
rather  a  succession  of  them,  and,  until  the  upper  and 
lower  dams  were  built,  the  one  just  above  the  uppei 
bridge,  connecting  the  town  with  West  Zanesville, 
and  the  other  just  above  the  lower  bridge,  connecting 
it  with  Putnam,  these  Falls  were  quite  formidable  in 
their  appearance;  and  when  Zane  made  his  trace 
from  Fort  Henry  westward  to  Maysville,  the  Falls  in 
the  river  and  the  romantic  scenery,  with  the  rocky 
and  precipitous  cliffs  on  the  southern  shore,  presented 
quite  an  attraction  to  the  Delawares,  Wyandots,  and 
Shawnees,  who  wandered  along  the  banks  of  the 
"  Elks-eye,"  as  the  name  Muskingum  in  Indian  signi- 
fies. Many  an  Indian  canoe  has  been  wrecked  as  it 
essayed  to  pass  over  these  rapids.  Before  the  flat 
boats  were  built,  the  exceeding  favorableness  of  the 
site  for  mill-seats  excited  the  enterprise  of  the  citi- 
zens, and,  a  company  being  formed,  a  dam  was  con- 
structed and  a  canal  cut  through  the  rocks  near  the 


PIONEER  BOATMEN. 


191 


shore,  connecting  with  a  wing  to  the  main  abutment. 
What  fishing  and  skating  memories  come  clustering 
around  us  while  we  write  of  these  localities ;  and 
with  what  vividness  do  we  recollect,  that  when  a  boy, 
and  unable  to  swim,  we  were  standing  about  ten  feet 
from  the  abutment,  the  water  pouring  over,  and  how 
we  slipped  and  fell  into  the  raging  pool  below.  The 
fall  was  six  or  seven  feet  at  that  stage  of  the 
water,  and  we  were  forced  by  the  descending 
column  under  the  surface;  and,  on  rising,  the  suc- 
tion created  by  the  falling  water  would  bring  us 
back,  until,  being  again  struck,  we  would  be  again 
submerged.  Well  do  we  recollect  the  thoughts 
that  came  rushing  upon  the  mind  of  home  and 
friends,  of  being  grappled  for  in  the  "  deep  hole," 
and  carried  on  the  little  black  bier  of  undertaker 
Sheward  or  Oassaday,  after  the  funeral  sermon  of  the 
ever-revered  and  lamented  "  parson,"  (Zanesville  has 
never  had  but  one,  unless  we  think  of  the  name 
given  in  jest  to  Parson  Jones,)  to  the  rural  cemetery 
on  the  hill.  Strange  as  it  may  appear  to  the  reader, 
and  stranger  still  as  it  is  to  ourself,  we  could  breathe 
under  that  white  foam,  and  were  as  unharmed  as 
though  lying  among  the  flowers  in  "  Old  Jeffery's  " 
meadow  on  the  afternoon  of  a  quiet  summer's  Sab- 
bath. After  being  forced  under  the  dam  six  times, 
and  with  such  violence  that  my  shoes  were  wrenched 
from  my  feet,  I  found  myself  standing  on  the  rocks, 


192 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


up  to  my  knees  in  water,  about  ten  feet  from  the 
dam  and  near  the  edge  of  the  "  deep  hole,"  without 
any  effort  on  my  part,  so  far,  at  least,  as  my 
consciousness  extends.  Howland,  the  fisherman, 
caught  me  at  one  time  with  his  hook  in  my 
sleeve,  but  I  broke  his  line.  My  old  friend  Cargill 
carried  me  to  the  shore.  It  was  not  the  first  time 
he  had  done  me  a  kindness.  But  stay — pardon  the 
egotism. 

Well,  up  the  Muskingum  and  its  tributaries  the 
country  had  become  somewhat  thickly  settled. 
Mills  were  erected,  and  flour  and  produce  increased 
beyond  all  home  demand.  A  market  must  be  found 
for  it,  and  where  but  to  the  lower  country  could 
it  be  sent?  Accordingly,  the  inhabitants  of  the  up 
country  would  build  their  boats,  and  float  them  down 
to  Zanesville  at  high  water,  when  there  were  but 
a  few  feet  of  fall  on  the  dam.  When  they  would 
arrive,  however,  none  were  daring  enough  to 
tempt  the  dangerous  flood.  The  boat  had  to  be  un- 
loaded, and  the  cargo  carted  round  below  the  lower 
bridge.  The  boats  usually,  unless  the  river  was 
very  high,  would  break  in  two,  or  open  the  seams 
so  widely,  as  to  fill  with  water  in  going  over,  in 
consequence  of  their  great  length ;  but  they  could 
soon  be  hauled  out  on  the  beach  and  repaired.  But 
taking  the  plunge  was  not  the  worst.  The  stono 
piers  of  the  bridge,  two  of  which  stood  near  the 


PIONEER  BOATMEN. 


193 


center  of  the  river,  must  be  avoided,  and  then  a 
greater  danger  awaited  the  boat  below.  That  navi- 
gation might  not  be  entirely  impeded,  the  lower 
dam  was  not  constructed  entirely  across  the  river, 
but  left  an  opening  on  the  Zanesville  side  for  the 
passage  of  boats.  Here  the  fall  was  so  great  that 
the  current  was  very  rapid,  and,  besides,  the  chan- 
nel being  narrow,  the  water  turned  by  the  dam 
rushed  with  violence  against  the  ragged,  rocky, 
hither  shore.  The  pier  of  the  lower  bridge  on  the 
one  hand,  and  the  jagged  rocks  on  the  other,  made 
a  perfect  Scylla  and  Charybdis,  requiring  all  the 
skill  of  the  most  experienced  pilot  to  steer  between 
them. 

Often  have  we  stood  among  an  excited  multitude 
looking  out  from  Granger's  mill,  at  boats  going  over 
the  dam,  loaded  with  lumber;  and  running  to  the 
lower  bridge,  have  stood  upon  the  rocks,  and 
seen  the  fragments  of  the  wreck,  with  the  hap- 
less, inexperienced  boatmen  clinging  to  them  as 
they  passed  down  the  roaring  tide. 

But  Zanesville  had  a  boatman  adequate  to  the 
task  of  piloting  the  up-river  crafts  over  the  danger- 
ous passes.  His  name  was  Roberts.  He  was  also  a 
pioneer  tavern-keeper,  and  his  sign,  which  bore  a 
picture  of  Commodore  Perry,  (we  knew  it,  as  the 
man  found  out  the  picture  of  a  certain  animal  by 
having  the  name  painted  in  large  letters  at  the 


194 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


bottom,)  is  still  painted  on  our  memory.  Koberts 
had  two  boys,  Nat  and  Charley,  and  they  were  chips 
of  the  old  block.  Captain  Eoberts  was  invariably 
selected  as  the  man.  "Whether  others  were  afraid 
to  go,  or  the  old  gentleman  did  not  wish  to  be 
troubled  with  too  much  company,  we  cannot  say,  but 
he  only  took  with  him  his  boys.  They  were  stout 
young  men,  as  were  most  of  the  young  men  of  that 
day. 

When  the  up-river  men  would  get  their  boat 
unloaded,  they  would  send  for  Eoberts,  and  as  he 
would  be  seen  passing  down  Main-street  with  a  red 
bandanna  tied  around  his  head,  spitting  upon  his 
hands  and  rubbing  them,  crowds  would  follow  to 
the  bank  to  witness  the  scene.  Arriving  at  the 
boat,  they  would  untie  the  cable  and  jump  on  board, 
the  old  man  taking  the  steering  oar,  and  the  boys 
the  side  sweeps.  They  would  pull  out  far  enough 
to  escape  the  abutment  of  the  wing-dam,  and  then, 
with  bow  directly  down  stream,  would  pull  hard 
until  within  about  fifty  yards  of  the  dam,  when, 
letting  the  side  oars  swing  round  by  the  boat,  they 
would  stand  and  wait  the  plunge.  The  last  time 
we  saw  them  go  over,  there  was  about  three  feet 
fall  in  the  water,  perhaps  more.  When  the  boat 
got  half-way  over  we  saw  her  open  at  the  sides. 
The  shock  threw  Nat  overboard,  but  Charley  soon 
seized  him,  and  dragged  him  out  of  the  boiling  flood. 


PIONEER  BOATMEN. 


195 


No  sooner  did  he  reach  the  deck  than,  to  the  amuse- 
ment of  the  hundreds  on  the  banks,  he  turned  three 
summersets  in  succession  on  the  deck,  and  sprang 
to  his  oar.  The  boat  was  now  nearly  filled  with 
water,  but  they  managed  it,  notwithstanding ;  and 
clearing  the  upper  piers,  they  descended  to  the  nar- 
row, rapid  channel,  which  they  also  passed  amid 
the  shouts  of  the  admiring  populace,  who  followed 
the  course  of  the  river  to  witness  the  out-come. 
Just  below  the  bridge  a  boatman  was  stationed 
with  a  skiff  and  cordell,  and,  rowing  out,  it  was  made 
fast  to  the  boat,  and  a  multitude  were  always  ready 
to  pull  the  voyagers  to  the  shore. 

These  boats  were  the  immediate  successors  of  the 
canoe,  but  they  were  only  of  service  in  descending 
the  rivers.  As  yet  no  craft  except  the  canoe,  and  that 
could  not  carry  a  very  heavy  burden,  had  been  con- 
structed with  a  view  to  ascend  the  streams.  At 
length  what  were  denominated  keel-boats  were  con- 
structed for  this  purpose.  Much  of  the  surplus  pro- 
ducts of  the  central  and  lower  portion  of  the  Ohio 
could  not  find  sale  in  the  South  to  advantage,  and 
hence  it  was  necessary  to  take  it  up  stream  to  Pitts- 
burgh. This  rendered  an  ascending  navigation  neces- 
sary ;  and  as  "  necessity  is  the  mother  of  invention," 
as  she  is  also  of  industry,  the  keel-boats  were  con- 
structed to  meet  the  emergency.  These  boats  were 
long  and  narrow,  being  made  sharp  at  the  bow  and 


196 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


stern,  and  of  as  light  draught  as  possible.  On  the  sides 
were  constructed  running  boards,  on  which  were  nailed 
cleats.  These  extended  from  bow  to  stern.  The  space 
between  the  running  boards  was  inclosed  with  boards, 
making  a  cabin  and  a  deck.  They  were  constructed 
to  carry  from  twenty  to  thirty  tons  of  freight,  being 
well  protected  from  the  weather  by  the  cabin  which 
we  have  described.  It  required  from  six  to  ten 
men,  besides  the  captain,  who  was  the  steersman,  to 
propel  them  up  stream.  Each  man  was  provided 
with  a  pole,  having  a  heavy  socket.  The  boatmen 
were  divided  equally  on  each  side.  Those  at  the 
bow  would  set  their  poles,  and  the  rest  behind  fol 
lowing  the  example,  they  would  place  the  end 
against  their  shoulders,  and  throwing  the  weight  of 
their  bodies  upon  them,  with  their  feet  against  the 
cleats,  would  push  until  the  farthest  from  the  bow 
would  reach  the  stern,  when  all  would  run  back  and 
reset  their  poles  for  another  push.  In  ascending  rap- 
ids, it  would  not  do  for  all  to  leave  their  poles  unset  at 
the  same  time.  Generally,  while  half  of  them  were 
still  pushing,  the  remainder  would  run  back  and  set 
their  poles,  and  the  others  would  follow.  Should  the 
keel  swing  in  a  rocky,  rapid  channel,  there  was 
great  danger  of  being  staved  to  pieces,  and  hence 
great  care  was  necessary  to  prevent  such  a  result; 
besides,  it  would  be  a  lasting  stigma  to  a  boatman 
who  should  let  his  boat  swing,  or  be  backed  in  a 


PIONEER  BOATMEN. 


197 


chute.  It  was  the  business  of  the  men  who  had  the 
head  poles  to  prevent  such  a  calamity,  and  it  often 
required  the  greatest  possible  muscular  exertion  of 
every  man  to  avoid  it. 

Toilsome  and  severe  as  was  the  life  of  a  boatman, 
it  was  very  seldom  that  they  exchanged  their  occu- 
pation for  another.  To  them  it  was  full  of  romance ; 
and  there  was  a  charm  on  the  river,  amid  the  often 
wild  but  always  exciting  scenes  of  a  boatman's  life, 
that  had  a  power  above  all  others.  Often  have  the 
wild  banks  of  the  Western  rivers  echoed  with  the 
"head  to"  "set  off"  and  "down  on  her"  of  the 
captain  of  a  keel ;  or  the  woods  made  to  ring  with 
the  merry  shouts  of  the  boatmen.  Sometimes,  when 
going  along  merrily,  they  would  strike  into  a  boat- 
man's song,  and  the  swelling  chorus  would  be  borne 
for  miles  over  the  otherwise  silent  waters.  At  night, 
especially  when  ascending,  they  would  tie  up ;  and 
if  they  did  not  take  a  coon-hunt  with  their  dogs  and 
guns,  which  they  always  had  with  them,  they  would 
"trip  the  light  fantastic  toe"  to  the  sound  of  the 
fiddle.  Should  they  chance  to  stop  near  a  settlement, 
they  would  go  to  some  house,  if  the  settler  was  the 
boatman's  friend,  and  gather  the  girls  of  the  neigh- 
borhood, when  they  would,  like  the  fashionables  of 
upper-tendom  at  the  present  day,  intrude  upon  the 
short  hours.  We  recollect  one  of  their  songs  ;  it  ran 
after  this  wise : 


198 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


"Dance,  boatman,  dance, 

Dance,  dance  away ; 

Dance  all  night,  till  broad  daylight, 

And  go  home  with  the  gals  in  the  morning." 

In  consequence  of  these  midnight  orgies,  or  revels, 
in  which  whisky  in  the  tin  cup,  instead  of  wine  in 
the  goblet,  flowed  freely,  families  of  respectability 
would  not  settle  immediately  on  the  banks,  but  back 
from  the  river,  out  of  the  reach  of  the  "rowdy  set," 
as  they  were  called  in  those  days. 

As  a  " professional  class"  of  men,  they  strove  to 
maintain  their  dignity,  and  looked  down  with  con- 
tempt upon  that  inferior  class  denominated  flat- 
boatmen  and  raftsmen.  Against  them  they  declared 
a  perpetual  war;  and  often  the  most  bloody  battles 
were  fought  between  the  pugilists.  They  were  gen- 
erally, though  there  were  honorable  exceptions,  a  hard 
set;  and  many  places  at  the  end  of  their  voyages 
have  witnessed  their  outlawry.  The  Ohio  could  be 
ascended  at  all  seasons,  but  many  of  its  branches  had 
to  be  navigated  during  the  spring  and  fall  freshets. 
When  the  rivers  were  too  low  for  the  boats  to  pass, 
the  boatmen  would  gather  together  at  camp-meetings ; 
and  we  have  witnessd  several  of  them  entirely  broken 
up  by  their  riotous  proceedings.  They  would  also 
attend  general  militia  trainings,  and  often  succeeded 
in  vanquishing  the  sons  of  Mars.  We  believe  that 
steam  has  done  more  in  producing  a  moral  revolution 


PIONEER  BOATMEN, 


199 


in  the  West,  than  perhaps  all  the  school-masters  and 
most  of  the  preachers  combined;  and  what  Fulton's 
steamboat  has  accomplished  in  breaking  np  the  row- 
dyism of  the  boatmen,  we  confidently  expect  will  be 
accomplished  by  Latta's  steam  fire-engine  in  breaking 
np  the  riots  of  firemen.  But  though  these  boatmen 
set  the  laws  at  defiance,  they  were  nevertheless  not 
without  law ;  they  had  a  law  among  themselves,  and 
they  were  strictly  honest.  They  would  peril  their 
lives  to  save  the  property  of  another.  Money  un- 
counted was  safe  in  their  hands ;  and  they  generally, 
if  not  invariably,  assumed  the  cause  of  the  weaker 
party — always,  such  was  their  respect  for  age,  de- 
fending an  old  man,  whether  right  or  wrong.  Such 
were  their  habits,  that  they  were  generally  short- 
lived ;  but  their  ranks  would  be  filled  by  young  men 
ambitious  of  the  calling. 

Having  said  thus  much  of  keel-boatmen,  we  must 
pass  to  consider  another  class  of  river  men,  called 
barge-men.  Barges  were  constructed  somewhat  after 
the  manner  of  keel-boats,  but  they  were  much  larger, 
being  broader  and  longer.  They  were  from  seventy- 
five  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  in  length,  with 
a  breadth  of  beam  of  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet,  and 
from  sixty  to  a  hundred  tons  burden.  They  were 
constructed  with  two  cabins ;  one  to  protect  the  cargo 
and  shelter  the  boatmen,  and  the  other  in  the  stern, 
about  eight  feet  long,  for  the  captain  and  pilot.  On 


200 


PIONEERS   OF    THE  WEST. 


the  roof  of  the  latter,  which  sloped  gradually  toward 
the  stern,  the  pilot  was  stationed  to  steer  the  barge. 
These  barges  usually  carried  two  masts.  The  crew 
consisted  of  from  thirty  to  as  high  as  fifty  men,  with 
as  many  oars ;  and  when  under  way,  the  craft  looked 
more  like  a  mammoth  milleped  walking  on  the 
surface  of  the  water,  than  anything  else  by  which  it 
can  be  described.  In  a  stiff  current,  where  the  beach 
was  unobstructed  by  trees,  the  cordelle  was  resorted 
to,  which,  being  fastened  to  the  forward  mast,  would 
be  carried  along  on  the  shoulders  of  the  whole  boat's 
crew,  stationed  at  regular  distances,  who  would  pull 
the  barge  against  the  current.  "When  obstructed  by 
trees,  the  cordelle  would  be  thrown  into  the  yawl, 
and  as  it  ascended,  it  would  let  off  the  rope  from  its 
coil,  until  its  utmost  length  would  be  gained,  when, 
making  it  fast  to  a  tree,  the  men  at  the  capstan  would 
wind  it  up,  and  a  fresh  cordelle  would  be  ready  when 
the  barge  reached  the  fastening  at  the  tree.  This  was 
called,  by  the  boatmen,  warping.  We  have  since 
seen  steamers  warp  themselves  through  the  sand,  in 
low  stages  of  the  Ohio,  by  sending  an  anchor  ahead, 
with  a  cable,  and  attaching  the  other  end  to  the  shaft 
of  the  engine.  The  barges  were  not  without  their 
setting  poles,  especially  on  the  Ohio;  though  they 
were  of  no  use  on  the  Mississippi. 

The  first  race  of  boatmen,  we  have  already  re- 
marked, were  hunters;  they  served,  also  as  spies 


PIONEER  BOATMEN. 


201 


and  scouts  in  the  border  wars,  and  thus  may  be 
classed  with  the  pioneer  soldiers  of  the  "West,  as  well 
as  the  hunters.  A  milder,  gentler  race  would  not 
have  been  adapted  to  the  wild,  savage  region  through 
which  they  roamed ;  but  they  have  passed  away. 
These  men  have  fulfilled  their  mission  in  the  settle- 
ment of  the  West;  and  whether  they  belonged  to 
a  class  represented  by  the  savage  and  reckless  Fink, 
or  the  wild,  daring  Girty,  they  were  alike  useful  in 
their  sphere  in  working  out  the  destiny  of  the 
West. 

Next  in  order  comes  the  steamer,  whose  breath  of 
fire  and  muscle  of  iron  soon  caused  the  keels  and 
barges  to  rot  and  molder  on  the  shore. 

The  first  steamboat  that  ever  navigated  the  Ohio 
and  Mississippi  was  the  "  Orleans."  She  was  built  at 
Pittsburgh  in  1812,  carried  three  hundred  tons,  had 
a  low  pressure  engine,  and  was  owned  by,  and  con- 
structed for,  Fulton  and  Livingston,  of  New- York. 
She  started  from  Pittsburgh  in  December,  1812,  and 
arrived  at  New  Orleans  the  24th  of  the  same  month, 
and  plied  regularly  between  New-Orleans  and  Natch- 
ez until  the  14th  July,  1814,  when,  on  her  trip  to 
the  latter  place,  being  opposite  Baton  Rouge,  while 
lying  by  at  night,  and  the  river  falling  at  the  time, 
she  settled  on  a  sharp  stump  and  became  wrecked. 
Her  trips  during  that  period  averaged  seventeen 
days.    She  was  abandoned,  and  her  engine,  with  a 


202 


PIONEERS    OF   THE  WEST. 


new  copper  boiler,  made  in  New- York,  was  put  into 
a  new  boat  in  1818,  called  the  "  New-Orleans,"  which 
only  ran  until  the  spring  of  1819,  when  she  also  was 
sunk  by  a  stump  on  the  same  side  of  the  river,  below 
Baton  Rouge,  but  was  raised  by  two  schooners, 
brought  to  New-Orleans  between  them,  and  there 
totally  lost  near  the  Batture. 

The  next,  in  order  of  time,  was  the  "  Comet,"  one 
hundred  and  forty-five  tons,  owned  by  Samuel  Smith, 
also  built  at  Pittsburgh,  on  French's  stern  wheel  and 
vibrating  cylinder  patent,  granted  in  1809.  The 
"Comet"  made  a  trip  to  Louisville  in  the  summer 
of  1813,  and  reached  New-Orleans  in  the  spring 
of  1814;  made  two  voyages  to  Natchez,  and  was 
then  sold,  and  the  engine  put  up  in  a  cotton  gin. 

Next  came  the  "  Vesuvius,"  of  three  hundred  and 
ninety  tons,  built  at  Pittsburgh,  November,  1813,  by 
R.  Fulton,  and  owned  by  a  company  in  New-York 
and  New-Orleans.  She  started  for  New-Orleans  in 
May,  1814,  Frank  Ogden  being  captain,  and  was  the 
first  boat  that  made  any  effort  to  reach  the  Falls, 
having  left  New-Orleans  with  a  freight  in  the  early 
part  of  July  of  the  same  year,  but  grounded  on  a 
sand  bar  about  seven  hundred  miles  up  the  Missis- 
sippi, on  the  14th  of  July,  and  lay  there  till  the  3d 
of  December,  when  a  rise  in  the  river  floated  her  off, 
and  she  returned  to  New-Orleans,  when  she  was  put 
in  requisition  for  military  service  by  General  Jack- 


PIONEER  BOATMEN. 


203 


son;  but,  in  starting  up  the  river  for  wood,  she 
grounded  on  the  Batture,  and  became  useless  to  the 
government.  The  succeeding  year  she  plied  between 
New-Orleans  and  Natchez,  under  the  command  of 
Captain  Clement,  who  was  succeeded  by  Captain 
John  De  Hart.  In  1816  she  took  fire  near  New- 
Orleans,  and  burned  to  the  water's  edge,  having  a 
valuable  cargo  on  board.  The  fire  communicated 
from  the  boilers,  which  in  the  first  style  of  building 
were  in  the  hold.  The  hull  was  afterward  raised 
and  built  up  at  New-Orleans.  After  making  several 
trips  to  Louisville,  she  was  broken  up  in  1820. 

The  fourth  steamboat  was  the  "  Enterprise,"  of 
one  hundred  tons,  built  at  Brownsville,  Pennsylvania, 
by  Daniel  French,  on  his  patent,  and  owned  by  a 
company  at  that  place.  She  made  two  voyages  to 
Louisville  in  the  summer  of  1814,  under  command 
of  Captain  J.  Gregg.  On  the  first  of  December,  of 
the  same  year,  she  took  in  a  cargo  of  ordnance 
stores  at  Pittsburgh,  and  started  for  New-Orleans, 
Henry  M.  Shreve  commander.  She  made  the  voy- 
age in  fourteen  days,  being  a  quick  trip,  all  circum- 
stances considered ;  and  was  then  dispatched  up  the 
river  to  meet  two  keels  which  had  been  delayed  on 
the  passage,  laden  with  small  arms.  These  she  met 
twelve  miles  above  Natchez,  took  their  masters  and 
the  cargoes  on  board,  and  returned  to  New-Orleans, 
having  been  six  and  a  half  days  absent,  in  which 

13 


204  PIONEERS    OF    THE  WEST. 


time  she  ran  six  hundred  and  twenty-four  miles.  She 
was  then  for  some  time  actively  employed  transport- 
ing troops  and  supplies  for  the  army,  engaged  under 
General  Jackson  in  the  defense  of  New-Orleans. 
She  made  one  voyage  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  as  a 
cartel,  one  to  the  rapids  of  Red  River,  with  troops, 
and  nine  voyages  to  Natchez.  Set  out  for  Pitts- 
burgh on  the  6th  of  May,  and  arrived  at  Shipping- 
port  on  the  13th,  being  twenty-five  days  out,  and  pro- 
ceeded thence  to  Pittsburgh,  being  the  first  steamboat 
that  ever  ascended  the  whole  length  of  the  Mississippi 
and  Ohio  Rivers.  A  public  dinner  was  given  at 
Louisville  to  Captain  Shreve,  for  effecting  a  passage 
in  that  space  of  time,  so  wonderful  and  important 
was  it  considered.  The  man  who  at  that  dinner 
would  have  predicted  that  there  were  those  present 
who  would  live  to  see  steamboats  perform  that  trip  in 
five  days,  twenty  days  less  than  Shreve's  effort,  would 
have  been  pronounced  insane,  or,  at  any  rate,  a  mere 
visionary;  yet  less  than  a  lapse  of  thirty  years  has 
served  to  accomplish  it.  She  made  one  more  trip 
down,  her  captain  being  D.  Worley ;  when  she  was 
lost  in  Rock  Harbor,  at  Shippingport. 

The  "  Etna,"  of  three  hundred  and  sixty  tons,  was 
the  next  one  built,  owned  by  the  same  company  as 
the  "  Vesuvius ;"  length  one  hundred  and  fifty-three 
feet,  breadth  twenty-eight  feet,  and  nine  feet  depth  of 
hold.    She  left  for  New-Orleans  under  the  command 


PIONEER  BOATMEN. 


205 


of  Captain  A.  Gale,  and  made  trips  successively  to 
Natchez  and  Louisville.  There  being  some  want  of 
confidence  in  steam  power  to  ascend  the  Mississippi 
with  a  cargo  above  Natchez,  she  was  employed,  in 
the  summer  of  1815,  towing  ships  from  the  mouths  or 
passes  of  the  Mississippi  to  New-Orleans,  the  barges 
then  getting  freight,  in  preference,  at  eight  cents  per 
pound,  from  New-Orleans  to  Louisville.  In  the  fall 
of  1815,  the  Mississippi  being  very  low,  the  owners 
of  the  "Etna"  made  another  attempt  to  ascend  the 
river,  and  put  in  about  two  hundred  tons,  for  which 
they  charged  four  and  a  half  cents  per  pound  for 
heavy,  and  six  cents  for  light  goods.  She  had  very 
few  passengers  above  Natchez.  The  dependence 
was  on  drift-wood,  and  occasionally  lying  by  two  or 
three  days,  where  settlements  were  made,  waiting 
while  wood  was  being  cut  and  hauled,  broke  a 
wrought-iron  water-wheel  shaft  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Ohio,  and  laid  by  at  Henderson,  Kentucky, 
fifteen  days,  trying  to  weld  it,  and  had  at  last  to  end 
the  passage  with  one  wheel  to  Shippingport  in  sixty 
days.  At  Louisville  she  had  two  shafts  cast.  Her 
next  trip  down,  with  three  hundred  tons,  at  one  cent 
per  pound,  and  a  few  passengers,  was  made  in  seven 
days.  The  succeeding  trip  up,  under  many  of  the 
same  difficulties,  was  made  in  thirty  days,  breaking 
the  other  wrought-iron  shaft,  by  driftwood,  in  ascend- 
ing the  Ohio. 


206 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


The  sixth,  in  order  of  time,  was  the  "  Dispatch," 
Captain  J.  Gregg,  built  at  Brownsville,  on  French's 
patent,  and  owned  by  the  same  company  with  the 
"  Enterprise."  She  made  several  voyages  from  Pitts- 
burgh to  Louisville,  and  back ;  and  one  from  the 
Falls  to  New-Orleans,  and  back  to  Shippingport, 
when  she  gave  out,  in  1818. 

The  next  were  the  "  Buffalo,"  three  hundred  tons 
and  "James  Monroe,"  ninety  tons,  built  at  Pitts 
burgh  by  B.  H.  Latrobe,  for  a  company  at  New 
York.  He  failed  to  finish  them  for  want  of  funds. 
They  were  sold  by  the  sheriff,  and  fell  into  the  hands 
of  Ithamar  Whiting,  who  furnished  them  with 
engines.    They  were  both  dull  sailers. 

The  "  Washington"  was  the  ninth,  and  the  first  at 
Wheeling,  Virginia,  where  she  was  built  under  the 
superintendence  of  Captain  H.  M.  Shreve,  who  was 
owner  in  part.  The  engines  were  made  at  Browns- 
ville. This  was  the  first  boat  with  boilers  on  deck. 
The  "Washington"  crossed  the  Falls  in  September, 
1816,  went  to  New-Orleans,  and  returning,  wintered 
at  Louisvflle.  In  March,  1817,  she  left  Shippingport 
for  New-Orleans,  and  made  her  trip  up  and  down  in 
forty-five  days,  including  detention  at  New-Orleans. 
This  was  the  trip  which  was  considered  to  settle  the 
practicability  of  steamboat  navigation  in  the  West. 

There  are  some  incidents  connected  with  steamboat 
navigation  on  the  Western  waters  worthy  of  notice. 


PIONEER  BOATMEN. 


207 


Captain  Shreve,  referred  to  already  as  the  captain  of 
the  "Enterprise,"  believing  the  patent  granted  to 
Fulton  and  Livingston  destructive  to  the  interests  of 
the  West,  and  unconstitutional  in  its  character,  took 
early  measures  to  test  its  validity.  The  "  Enterprise" 
reached  New-Orleans  on  the  14th  of  December,  1814, 
and  was  seized  the  next  day  for  alleged  violation  of 
that  patent,  and  suit  commenced  against  the  owners 
of  the  New- York  Company,  in  an  inferior  court, 
where  a  verdict  was  found  for  the  defendants.  The 
case  was  then  removed,  by  writ  of  error,  to  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States. 

Before  the  question  came  up  before  this  tribunal, 
Shreve  returned  to  New-Orleans  with  the  "  Washing- 
ton," which  was  also  seized  by  the  company,  to  whom 
she  was  abandoned  without  opposition  by  Captain 
Shreve,  who  was  owner  in  part.  On  application, 
however,  to  the  court,  on  behalf  of  the  "Washington" 
and  her  owners,  an  order  was  obtained  to  hold  the 
company  to  bail  to  answer  the  damages  that  might 
arise  by  the  detention  of  the  vessel. 

The  agents  of  the  company,  in  this  stage  of 
the  business,  fearing  the  downfall  of  the  mo- 
nopoly which  they  sought  to  preserve,  directly,  and 
through  the  medium  of  their  attorney,  proposed  to 
admit  Shreve  to  an  equal  share  with  themselves  in  all 
the  privileges  of  the  patent  right,  provided  he  would 
so  arrange  the  business  in  court  as  to  allow  a  verdict 


208  PIONEEKS  OF  THE  WEST. 


to  be  found  against  him.  Had  Shreve  possessed  less 
firmness  or  principle  than  belonged  to  him,  he  might 
have  yielded  to  this  tempting  bait,  and  thrown  back 
the  steamboat  operations  in  the  West  for  ten  years, 
before  another  individual  of  sufficient  energy  had  ap- 
peared to  contest  the  patent.  It  is  hardly  necessary 
to  add  that  the  Supreme  Court  finally  set  the  patent 
aside. 


THE   PROPHET  FRANCIS. 


211 


CHAPTEE  VIII. 

THE   PROPHET  FRANCIS. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century  there 
lived  in  the  South  a  chief  who  bore  the  name  of 
Francis  the  Prophet,  a  title  which  had  been  bestowed 
upon  hirn  by  his  tribe  on  account  of  the  superior 
wisdom  and  skill  which  he  manifested  in  all  those 
cases  of  emergency  to  which,  the  Indians  were  sub- 
jected in  that  eventful  period  of  their  history.  He 
was  a  Seminole  of  proud  and  lofty  bearing.  Nature, 
amid  whose  wild  and  beautiful  scenery  he  was  born 
and  reared,  had  given  him  a  cast  in  one  of  her  most 
elegant  molds.  He  was  tall  and  graceful,  with 
round  and  beautiful  features,  resembling  more  a  Cas- 
tilian  or  an  Italian  than  an  Indian.  He  had  two 
daughters,  young  and  beautiful  as  their  sire,  one  of 
whom  in  particular,  the  younger,  was  a  model  of 
womanly  grace.  Like  her  father,  she  was  a  child 
of  nature,  and  her  first  lessons,  in  which  she  had  the 
Great  Spirit  for  a  teacher,  and  the  stars  and  flowers, 
the  latter  of  which  are  thickly  strewn  over  hill,  and 
dale,  and  plain,  in  the  sunny  South,  seeming  as  the 


212 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


alphabet  of  the  angels  to  nature's  children,  were 
received  from  these  sources.  Nor  was  this  all  the 
education  she  received.  We  are  informed  that  she 
had  made  considerable  proficiency  in  book  learning, 
and  could  speak  the  English  language  with  great 
fluency.  Like  her  father,  who  was  the  pride  of  his 
nation,  she  was  regarded  as  the  fairest  and  most  ac- 
complished of  the  fair  among  her  sex.  Her  sister 
was  also  accomplished  and  handsome,  but  not  to  the 
same  extent  as  the  more  favored  one  which  we  have 
been  more  particular  in  describing. 

Francis  was  a  chief  and  a  warrior.  When  his 
war-cry  was  heard  on  the  hills  it  roused  every  brave 
to  action,  and  none  were  too  faint-hearted  to  follow 
their  leader  wherever  fate  or  fortune  might  direct 
the  way.  He  was  a  terror  to  all  the  hostile  tribes, 
and  whenever  his  band  met  them  in  mortal  combat 
the  issue  never  proved  doubtful,  though  assailed  by  a 
superior  force.  He  never  had  been  taken  captive. 
His  manly,  well-formed  limbs  never  were  bound  in 
fetters.  Like  the  wild  eagle  of  the  forest,  sweeping 
the  whole  heavens  in  its  flight,  unfettered  and  free,  so 
he  roamed,  lord  of  the  forests  and  everglades  in  his 
native  dominion. 

He  had  heard  of  the  atrocities  perpetrated  by  the 
white  man  who  had  entered  his  country,  and  set  up 
his  claims  to  the  red  man's  hunting-ground,  and  he 
had  himself  been  witness  to  acts  of  baseness  and  bar- 


THE  PROPHET  FRANCIS. 


213 


barity  that  would  have  disgraced  the  most  savage  of 
his  nation;  and  hence  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at 
that  he  yielded  to  the  solicitations  and  promises  of 
reward  held  out  by  British  officers  to  unite  with  them 
in  expelling  the  colonists  from  the  land.  His  name 
I  had  become  a  terror  to  every  American  soldier's  ears, 
and  his  skill  and  bravery  were  more  to  be  dreaded 
than  the  combined  force  of  many  tribes.  When  he 
was  gained  over  to  the  side  of  the  British,  an  acqui- 
sition was  secured  that  inspired  them  with  fresh 
hopes  of  redeeming,  in  part  at  least,  what  they  had 
lost  in  the  desperate  struggles  of  the  Revolution. 

At  the  head  of  his  nation,  with  which  was  con- 
nected other  tribes,  and  fragments  of  tribes,  he  went 
forth  against  the  enemy,  and  in  many  a  hard-fought 
battle  bore  away  the  palm.  Such  bravery  elicited 
the  warmest  encomiums  from  the  British  officers, 
who  invited  him  to  their  tent,  and  made  him  party 
to  all  their  councils  of  war. 

At  the  close  of  the  war,  so  greatly  were  the  officers 
and  soldiers  attached  to  the  chief,  that  they  invited 
him  to  accompany  them  on  their  return  to  England, 
which  offer,  after  making  the  necessary  arrange- 
ments for  his  family,  he  accepted.  When  the  British 
forces  arrived  in  London,  the  following  description 
of  a  military  pageant  appeared  in  one  of  the  papers 
of  that  city : 

"The  double  sound  of  a  trumpet  announced  the 


214 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


approach  in  the  procession  of  the  patriot  chief 
Francis,  who  fought "  so  gloriously  in  our  cause  in 
America.  He  was  dressed  in  a  uniform  of  red  trim- 
ming, decorated  with  gold.  In  his  sash  he  wore  a 
tomahawk  with  gold  mountings." 

His  princely  bearing  and  accomplished  manners 
attracted  the  attention  of  all,  and  thousands  flocked 
to  gaze  upon  one  whose  name  and  fame  had  pre- 
ceded him  across  the  waters.  All  seemed  ready  to 
do  homage  to  this  son  of  the  forest  for  his  daring  and 
bravery  in  the  British  cause,  while  many  were  at- 
tracted by  his  fine  form  and  nobleness  of  person. 
Perhaps  a  better  specimen  of  the  Indian  race  has  not 
been  found.  After  remaining  long  enough  to  satisfy 
his  own  curiosity  and  that  of  the  multitudes  who 
everywhere  crowded  to  look  upon  him,  he  returned 
in  a  British  vessel,  loaded  with  presents,  once  more 
to  his  fatherland.  As  it  might  be  expected  that  his 
identification  with  the  English,  and  the  kind  treat- 
ment he  had  received  at  their  hands,  would  secure 
his  friendship,  so  it  was  also  probable  that  he  would 
retain  his  hostility  to  the  Americans,  from  whom  he 
and  his  fellow  red  men  had  received  repeated  and 
irreparable  injuries.  He  had  taken  the  oath  of  the 
Indian  of  eternal  hostility  to  the  enemies  of  his  race, 
and,  as  he  asked  no  quarter,  he  determined  to  give 
none  while  life  should  last.  These  sentiments  he  had 
strongly  instilled  into  the  minds  of  his  fellow-war- 


THE   PROPHET  FRANCIS.  215 

riors ;  and  at  every  council  fire  his  eloquence  rose  to 
thunder  tones,  invoking  vengeance  on  the  foe  that 
had  invaded  their  territory,  and  robbed  them  of  their 
property  and  the  lives  of  their  friends. 

At  that  time  there  were  many  military  stations 
and  forts  established  throughout  the  South,  for  the 
defense  of  the  inhabitants  against  the  attacks  of  the 
Indians,  who  still  remained,  contending  for  every 
inch  of  the  land  they  justly  called  their  own,  and  of 
which  no  government  authority  or  diplomacy  had 
a  right  to  deprive  them. 

It  happened  on  a  certain  day,  that  while  the  chief 
and  his  men  were  out  on  a  hunting  or  scouting  expe- 
dition, they  made  a  prisoner  of  a  soldier  who  belong- 
ed to  Fort  Gadsden,  in  Georgia.  He  had  gone  out 
on  a  fishing  excursion,  and,  on  his  return,  had  lost 
himself  in  the  forest.  He  was  taken  into  camp, 
and  being  a  soldier,  a  council  of  war  was  held,  to 
decide  his  fate.  It  was  unanimously  resolved  that 
he  must  die.  Blood  for  blood;  for  had  an  Indian 
been  thus  seen  in  the  woods,  he  would  not  have 
been  allowed  that  respite  ;  no,  not  even  the  form  of 
a  trial,  but  would  have  been  shot  down  in  his  tracks, 
as  a  wild  beast.  Many  had  thus  been  cruelly  mur- 
dered ;  and  had  mercy  been  exercised  by  the  whites, 
the  Indians  might  have  been  taught  to  resort  to 
other  modes  of  warfare  in  treating  with  them.  But  the 
die  was  cast,  the  doom  of  the  poor  soldier  was  sealed. 


216 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


After  the  solemn  ceremonies  had  passed — for  the 
Prophet  Francis  would  allow  no  victim  to  be  tor- 
mented before  his  time,  nor  yet  to  be  ushered  into 
the  presence  of  the  Great  Spirit  without  due  time 
for  preparation — the  soldier  was  taken  out  and  bound 
to  a  tree,  around  which  were  placed  dry  fagots, 
which  were  to  be  kindled  by  the  torch  of  execu- 
tion. At  length  the  fatal  moment  came.  The 
Indians  were  ranged  around  the  victim.  The  torch 
has  been  lighted  at  the  council  fire,  and  its  bearer  is 
seen  approaching,  brandishing  it  over  his  head.  He 
is  a  young  and  noble-looking  Indian,  the  same  age 
as  the  victim  whose  death  he  is  about  to  seal.  "With 
rapid  steps  he  advances,  and  the  ranks  open  to  let 
him  pass.  He  stands  in  front  of  the  victim  ready 
to  apply  the  torch.  But  the  voice  of  the  chief  has 
not  uttered  the  command,  the  death  warrant  has 
not  been  given.  All  eyes  are  turned  in  that  direc- 
tion. But  what  do  they  see  ?  A  young  and  beauti- 
ful maiden  at  her  father's  feet,  pleading  for  mercy 
in  behalf  of  the  soldier.  She  was  no  stranger  to 
battle,  for  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  habited  as  a 
young  warrior,  she  dealt  many  a  fatal  blow.  Nor 
was  she  a  stranger  to  the  scene  which  was  about  to 
be  enacted.  She  had  often  heard  the  fatal  word 
given  by  her  chieftain  father,  and  had  seen  the 
smoke  and  flames  bear  away  the  spirit  of  the  victim 
to  a  world  unknown. 


THE    PROPHET  FRANCIS. 


217 


"  He  must  die,"  sternly  said  the  chief. 

"  Nay,  my  father ;  spare  the  young  man.  Though 
his  race  may  have  wronged  and  injured  us,  it  may  be 
he  is  not  like  them  guilty." 

"  The  council  have  adjudged  him  to  death,  and  he 
must  die." 

"  Then  will  I  die  with  him."  So  saying,  she 
sprang  to  her  feet,  and  before  the  word  was  given, 
flew  to  the  stake,  and  throwing  her  arms  around  the 
neck  of  the  victim,  awaited  the  result. 

The  entreaties  and  perseverance  of  the  daughter 
proved  successful,  and  the  life  of  the  young  man  was 
spared.  All  were  astonished  at  the  act  of  the  girl. 
Not  a  word  had  she  spoken  before  in  his  behalf,  nor 
had  she  betrayed  the  least  signs  of  commiseration, 
or  manifested  the  slightest  interest  in  the  prisoner. 
Whether  the  act  of  the  heroic  girl  was  prompted  by 
the  emotions  of  her  humane  and  benevolent  heart, 
or  whether  she  had  conceived  an  affection  for  the 
young  American  soldier,  was  a  secret  which  died 
with  her ;  for  to  all  entreaties  that  she  would  reveal 
the  motives  which  prompted  her  interference  in  be- 
half of  the  victim,  she  was  silent. 

Though  ransomed  from  death  by  the  intercession 
of  the  Indian  maiden,  the  soldier  was  not  released 
from  captivity.  He  was,  however,  allowed  the 
largest  liberty,  and  treated,  for  the  sake  of  the 
chief's  daughter,  with  the  greatest  kindness,  and 


218 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


from  her  he  received  many  proofs  of  the  noble 
generosity  which  first  manifested  itself  in  offering 
herself  as  a  sacrifice  to  save  his  life.  Such  were  the 
liberties  allowed  him,  that  he  could  almost  at  any 
time  have  made  his  escape ;  but,  for  the  sake  of  her 
who  had  rescued  him  from  a  cruel  death,  he  chose 
to  remain  in  bondage  until  his  release  should  be 
effected  by  other  hands  than  his  own.  Nor  was  it 
a  great  while  until  the  period  arrived  when  he 
was  set  at  liberty.  A  party  of  Spaniards  finding 
him  one  day,  as  he  was  hunting  in  the  woods,  re- 
captured him,  and  he  was  by  them  restored  to  the 
American  army,  in  which  he  resumed  his  duties  as 
a  soldier. 

Not  long  after  this  the  Americans  were  reinforced, 
and  efficient  measures  were  taken  to  destroy  the 
Indian  and  Spanish  forts  and  towns  along  the 
frontier ;  and  among  the  most  important  which  they 
wished  to  demolish,  was  the  garrison  of  St.  Mark's, 
which  contained  the  Prophet  Francis  and  his  men. 
The  forces  were  all  gathered  together,  and  stealthily, 
under  the  cover  of  the  night,  they  made  a  descent 
upon  the  unsuspecting  warriors.  Under  such  cir- 
cumstances, with  such  a  force,  the  fortress  was 
stormed,  and  fell  a  prey  to  the  assailants.  The 
chief  and  his  family,  with  his  brave  warriors,  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  As  captives  they 
were  bound,  and  led  away  to  execution.    One,  and 


THE  PROPHET  FRANCIS. 


219 


one  only,  had  made  an  escape.  The  eldest  daughter, 
vigilant  and  fleet  of  foot,  escaped  from  the  garrison, 
and,  though  pursued,  she  distanced  all  who  gave 
chase,  until,  in  the  darkness  and  solitude,  she  was 
safe  from  the  avenger. 

The  chief  and  wife,  with  his  younger  daughter, 
were  taken  on  board  an  American  schooner.  With 
them,  also,  was  a  confederate  chief.  The  daughter 
who  was  at  liberty,  knowing  that  her  father  and 
sister  would  inevitably  be  put  to  death,  resolved 
on  making  an  effort,  at  least,  to  effect  their  de- 
liverance. She  was  led  to  indulge  in  the  hope  of 
success,  by  being  informed  that  they  had  been 
taken  on  board  a  British  vessel.  She  accordingly 
procured  a  light  canoe,  and  with  the  soft  but  rapid 
dip  of  her  oar,  sped  like  an  arrow  over  the  waters, 
and  was  soon  in  speaking  distance  of  the  vessel. 
"What  was  her  dismay  to  hear  from  the  hoarse, 
gruff  voice  that  accosted  her,  and  to  see  from  the 
stripes  and  stars  at  the  mast-head,  that  she  was 
mistaken!  Slowly  and  sadly  she  turned  her  prow 
from  the  floating  prison  which  contained  all  that 
was  dear  to  her  on  earth.  Her  wail,  as  she  gave 
up  all  for  lost,  was  only  heard  by  the  waves  and 
borne  by  the  winds  which  rocked  the  little  bark 
that  carried  her  to  the  now  desolate  shore.  Invok- 
ing the  Great  Spirit,  she  fled  into  the  wilderness 
to  seek  help  from  some  of  her  race.    But,  alas! 


220 


PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


that  help  never  came ;  and  without  even  a  form  of 
trial,  without  ceremony,  or  the  slightest  show  of 
sympathy,  the  Prophet  Francis  and  his  fellow-chief 
were  hung.  It  may  be  that  he  deserved  death,  but 
not  the  death  of  a  felon  or  a  traitor.  He  had,  in 
the  defense  of  his  own  soil  and  race,  spread  death 
through  many  ranks,  and  many  were  made  widows 
and  orphans  by  his  hand;  but  it  was  in  what  is 
denominated  honorable  war,  and  the  justice  of  his 
cause;  in  comparison  with  that  of  his  enemies,  the 
white  men,  will  appear  when  all  nations  shall  be 
assembled  at  the  last  tribunal.  Well  has  one,  who 
is  identified  with  the  history  of  this  country,  and 
who  gallantly  fought  many  of  her  battles,  said, 
"  From  the  landing  at  Jamestown,  down  to  the  last 
war  with  the  Indians,  the  white  man  has  invariably 
been  the  aggressor."  Is  it  a  wonder  that  the  red 
man,  who  has  witnessed  such  aggressions  and  re- 
ceived such  inhuman  treatment  from  the  white 
man,  should  look  with  suspicion  and  distrust  upon 
his  religion?  It  is  said  of  Ninigret,  the  proud 
and  noble  chief  of  the  Narragansets,  that  he  op- 
posed the  introduction  of  the  white  man's  religion 
among  his  tribe,  and  that  he  was  deaf  to  all  the 
entreaties  of  the  missionaries,  who  plead  that  their 
religion  would  infuse  a  greater  benevolence,  kind- 
ness of  heart,  and  humanity,  as  well  as  raise  his 
people  in  the  scale  of  civilization  and  refinement. 


THE   PROPHET  FRANCIS. 


221 


"  Nay,"  said  he,  "  when  the  Gospel  makes  good 
white  men,  then  come  to  Ninigret  and  his  red 
brethren,  and  we  will  receive  you." 

Among  that  band  of  American  soldiers  who  stood 
around  the  place  of  execution,  was  one  who  had  been 
snatched  from  a  death  of  cruelty,  but  one  of  far  less 
ignominy  than  the  chief  was  now  suffering.  And 
while  his  angel  deliverer  stood  weeping  as  if  her 
heart  would  break,  at  the  foot  of  that  scaffold,  he 
was  silent  and  unmoved.  Need  we  tell  the  reader 
who  he  was?  Need  we  say  that,  after  the  dreadful 
scene  had  passed,  when  that  craven-hearted  soldier 
offered  his  hand  to  the  beautiful,  sorrow-stricken 
maiden,  she  recoiled  from  him  as  from  the  touch 
of  an  adder,  and  indignantly  exclaimed,  "Become 
the  wife  of  a  man  who  could  stand  unmoved  and 
silent  at  the  death  of  a  chief  whose  child  had  saved 
him  from  the  stake?  Become  the  daughter  of  a 
people  who  have  murdered  my  father  in  cold  blood? 
Never!  My  own  heart  would  despise  me;  my  nation 
would  abhor  me;  and  an  ignominy,  worse  than  death 
upon  the  scaffold,  would  cover  my  name  and  memory 
forever." 

Thus  saying,  the  heroic  girl  took  her  mother  by  the 
arm,  and  they  turned  mournfully  away,  seeking  the 
deep  solitude  of  the  wilderness.  From  that  day  and 
that  hour,  they  were  never  seen  or  heard  of  after- 
ward.   They  fled  from  a  society  where  justice  and 

14 


222 


PIONEEES  OF  THE  WEST. 


mercy  had  no  abode,  and  sought,  in  the  depths  of  the 
forest,  communion  with  that  Great  Spirit  who  will,  in 
the  council  of  angels,  justify  and  reward  the  innocent, 
and  condemn  and  punish  the  guilty.  The  blood  of 
the  red  man,  which  has  been  poured  out  like  water 
over  the  length  and  breadth  of  this  land,  crieth  aloud 
to  heaven;  and  a  sin-avenging  God  will  hear  that 
cry.  The  day  of  recompense  will  come;  and  as  na- 
tions must  be  judged  in  time,  after  place  for  repent- 
ance and  restitution  has  been  given,  the  Judge  of 
all  the  earth,  if  that  restitution  is  not  made,  will  strike 
this  nation  from  the  roll  of  existence,  and  commission 
his  curse  to  dig  its  grave. 


LOGAN,  THE  MINGO  CHIEF. 


225 


CHAPTEE  IX. 

LOGAN,  THE  MINGO  CHIEF. 

"Where  is  my  home,  my  forest  home,  the  proud  land  of  my  sires? 
Where  stands  the  wigwam  of  my  pride,  where  gleam  the  council  fires  ? 
Where  are  my  kindred's  hallowed  graves,  my  friends  so  light  and  free? 
Gone,  gone  forever  from  my  view  !   Great  Spirit,  can  it  be  ?" 

No  name  connected  with  Indian  story  has  spread 
further,  or  exerted  a  greater  influence  in  the  early- 
history  of  the  West,  than  that  of  Logan.  From  what 
we  can  gather  in  regard  to  his  early  life,  we  learn 
that  he  was  the  second  son  of  a  distinguished  chief 
of  the  Cayuga  nation.  His  father,  on  account  of  his 
attachment  to  the  English  nation,  was  of  great  service 
to  the  country,  having  the  confidence  of  all  the  Six 
Nations,  as  well  as  that  of  the  English;  and  served 
frequently  as  mediator  during  the  early  Indian  wars 
which  prevailed.  He  was  highly  esteemed  by  the 
officer  of  the  Indian  Department,  under  the  govern- 
ment, with  whom  he  acted  conjointly,  serving  the 
country  with  great  fidelity  until  his  death.  His 
residence  was  at  Shamokin,  and  his  house  was  the 
home  of  hospitality.    No  one  was  ever  toned  away 


226  PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 

from  the  door  of  the  kind  and  generous  Shikellemus, 
for  that  was  the  name  of  the  venerable  chief.  He 
was  always  the  friend  of  the  whites,  and  never  for  a 
moment  faltered  in  his  attachment  and  friendship. 
It  remained  with  him  during  his  long  and  useful 
life;  and  when  death  closed  his  career,  the  white 
man  felt  that  he  had  lost  a  friend,  whose  place  it 
would  be  difficult  to  fill  by  any  of  the  red  race.  His 
name  and  fame  had  spread  far  and  wide,  and  when 
Count  Zinzendorf,  who  introduced  Moravianism  into 
England,  visited  this  country  to  look  after  his  scat- 
tered flock  in  the  wilderness,  in  the  year  1742,  he 
visited  him  at  his  house  in  Shamokin.  Heckewelder, 
the  associate  of  Post  and  Zeisberger,  who  were  the 
earliest  Protestant  missionaries  among  the  Indians  in 
the  West,  and  who  had  established  missions  among 
the  Delawares,  and  were  acquainted  with  numerous 
Western  tribes,  became  acquainted  with  Logan  in 
1772,  who  was  introduced  to  him  as  the  son  of  the 
distinguished  and  friendly  chief  Shikellemus.  He 
found,  in  the  person  of  the  son,  a  fit  representative 
of  the  father,  a  true  and  faithful  friend  of  the  white 
man.  The  missionary  says  he  not  only  spoke  with 
fluency  the  English  language,  but  that  he  had  adopt- 
ed, to  a  great  degree,  the  habits  of  the  whites,  and 
was  then  living  in  his  cabin,  and  cultivating  a  piece 
of  ground  at  the  mouth  of  Big  Beaver  Creek,  on  the 
same  stream  on  which  the  Moravian  town  was  situ- 


LOGAN,  THE  MINGO  CHIEF. 


227 


ated,  not  far  from  the  neighborhood  of  Cuskagee. 
"While  on  his  passage  down  the  Ohio  River  the  fol- 
lowing year,  Heckewelder  stopped  at  the  residence 
of  Logan,  and  was  received  in  the  most  hospitable 
and  cordial  manner  by  his  family. 

Here  this  humane  and  generous  Indian  lived  in 
peace  and  happiness,  surrounded  by  his  family,  refus- 
ing all  efforts  and  inducements  on  the  part  of  his  fel- 
low-Indians to  engage  with  the  French  in  their  wars 
with  the  English.  So  far  from  yielding  to  these 
solicitations,  he  sought,  by  every  means  in  his  power, 
to  stop  the  deadly  strife,  and  bring  about  peace  be- 
tween the  belligerent  forces.  Alas!  that  his  fidelity 
and  kindness  should  be  rewarded  with  the  most  bar- 
barous act  of  cruelty  perpetrated  by  those  whom  he 
befriended. 

The  Western  country  having  been  thrown  open  to 
land  speculators,  whose  only  God  is  self,  and  whose 
only  ambition  is  gain,  at  an  early  day  they  were  found 
scouring  the  country  and  selecting  the  best  lands. 
These  land-sharks,  happening  to  be  robbed  on  a  cer- 
tain occasion — in  all  probability  by  some  of  their  own 
people — charged,  as  they  did  every  mishap  or  misfor- 
tune that  befell  them,  the  robbery  upon  the  Indians. 
The  robbery  occurred  on  the  Ohio  River,  not  many 
miles  from  the  residence  of  Logan.  A  man  by  the 
name  of  Cressap,  and  another  by  the  name  of  Great- 
house,  petty  officers  in  the  militia,  officiously  took  it 


228 


PIONEERS  OF    THE  WEST. 


into  their  hands  to  avenge  this  wrong  upon  the 
Indians,  and,  collecting  a  party,  they  started  out  to 
scour  the  country.  Their  first  attack  was  on  two 
defenseless  Indians,  encamped  a  few  miles  above 
Wheeling  Creek,  on  the  Ohio  River.  These  they 
surprised  and  killed.  Having  learned  that  there 
were  some  more  further  down  the  river,  and  flushed 
with  their  valorous  achievement,  they  started  in  hot 
pursuit.  When  the  company,  headed  by  Cressap, 
arrived  at  the  encampment,  they  did  not  make  an 
immediate  attack;  they  were  too  cowardly  and  crav- 
en-hearted for  that ;  but,  assuming  the  garb  of 
friendship  and  professing  the  utmost  kindness,  the 
Indians  were,  in  an  unsuspecting  hour,  fallen  upon 
and  murdered  in  cold  blood.  Among  the  number 
of  the  slain  were  some  of  the  family  of  Logan.  This 
dastardly  act  was  followed  by  another,  in  which 
Greathouse  figured  conspicuously.  Opposite  to  him, 
on  the  Ohio  side  of  the  river,  was  an  encampment  of 
friendly  Indians,  from  whom  he  had  received  many 
kindnesses.  But  his  soul  was  beyond  the  reach  of 
generous  emotions,  and  the  friendships  and  sympa- 
thies of  life  were  ignored  in  his  inhuman  nature. 
Collecting  together  about  thirty  men,  he  secreted 
them  in  the  vicinity,  and  went  into  the  camp,  under 
the  guise  of  friendship,  for  the  purpose  of  ascertain- 
ing their  condition  and  numbers.  They  had  been 
apprised  of  the  murder  of  their  brethren,  and  were 


LOGAN,  THE   MINGO   CHIEF.  229 

meditating  revenge.  Though  he  was  in  danger,  they 
were  too  magnanimous  to  take  the  life  of  one  un- 
armed man.  Some  there  were,  however,  that  be- 
came much  excited  at  his  appearance,  believing  that 
he  was  not  a  stranger  to  the  deeds  of  violence  which 
had  been  committed.  An  Indian  woman,  fearing  he 
might  be  roughly  dealt  with,  came  to  him  and 
secretly  warned  him  of  his  danger,  advising  him  to 
leave.  But  he  was  bent  on  their  destruction,  and  he 
could  not  let  so  favorable  an  opportunity  pass  without 
improvement.  Knowing  the  love  of  many  of  them 
for  strong  drink,  he  invited  as  many  as  would  to  cross 
over  the  river  with  him,  as  he  had  good  rum  and 
plenty  of  it  for  all  who  would  come.  Quite  a  num- 
ber accepted  the  invitation,  crossed  the  river,  and 
went  with  Greathouse  into  a  tavern  in  the  white  set- 
tlements, and  after  drinking  until  they  were  intoxi- 
cated, the  brave  and  heroic  party  of  Greathouse,  fully 
armed,  fell  upon  them  and  murdered  every  one,  ex- 
cept a  little  girl.  Among  the  number  thus  brutally 
butchered  were  the  only  brother  of  Logan  and  his 
sister,  whose  delicate  condition  gave  to  the  horrid 
crime  a  greater  aggravation.  But  that  was  not  all. 
She  was  the  one  who  had  given  the  friendly  warning 
to  Greathouse. 

The  remaining  Indians  on  the  other  side,  on  hear- 
ing the  reports  of  the  guns,  immediately  filled  two 
canoes  with  armed  warriors,  who  started  for  the 


230 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


scene  of  conflict.  But,  alas !  it  was  to  meet  the 
same  sad  fate  which  had  befallen  their  brethren. 
]STo  sooner  did  they  approach  within  gun-shot,  than 
they  were  fired  upon  by  the  whites,  who  lay  conceal- 
ed among  the  bushes  on  the  shore.  Many  were  kill- 
ed and  wounded,  and  those  that  escaped  returned  to 
the  other  shore. 

This  conduct  on  the  part  of  the  whites  stung  Lo- 
gan to  the  heart:  the  very  iron  entered  his  soul. 
They,  from  whom  he  had  reason  to  expect  kindness 
and  protection,  had,  without  provocation,  murdered 
his  family  and  his  friends.  It  was  more  than  mortal 
could  bear,  and,  filled  with  despair  and  madness,  he 
resolved  to  be  avenged.  Sounding  the  war  cry,  he 
summoned  the  Indians  to  arms.  The  first  blow  he 
struck  was  upon  a  white  settlement  on  the  Monon- 
gahela.  One  man  who  was  taken  prisoner  by  the 
Indians  in  this  attack,  was  treated  by  Logan  with 
the  greatest  kindness.  When  they  arrived  at  the 
Indian  town  a  council  of  war  was  held,  and  he  was 
condemned  to  be  burned  at  the  stake.  The  fearful 
hour  had  come,  and  all  the  preparations  had  been 
made  for  the  execution  of  the  victim ;  but  the  elo- 
quence of  Logan  prevailed  in  his  behalf,  and  he  was 
saved. 

In  the  fall  of  1774,  a  fierce  and  deadly  battle  was 
fought  at  Point  Pleasant,  Virginia,  between  the  com- 
bined forces  of  the  Shawnees,  Delawares,  Mingoes, 


LOGAN,  THE  MINGO  CHIEF. 


231 


and  Cayugas,  and  the  soldiers  under  the  command  of 
General  Lewis.  The  scene  of  action  lay  on  the 
southern  shore  of  the  Ohio  River.  The  troops,  col- 
lected together  from  different  parts  of  the  country, 
amounting  in  all  to  about  eleven  hundred,  were  ex- 
pecting the  arrival  of  Governor  Dunmore,  whose  men 
would  augment  their  numbers  to  twenty-three  hun- 
dred. They  were  divided  into  three  regiments,  one 
of  which  was  commanded  by  Charles  Lewis,  another 
by  Doctor  Fleming,  while  the  third  was  under  the 
command  of  John  Field ;  and  all  under  the  general 
command  of  Andrew  Lewis.  About  half  an  hour 
before  sunrise  on  the  morning  of  Monday,  the  tenth 
day  of  October,  some  of  the  soldiers  discovered  the 
Indians  about  a  mile  from  the  camp.  Others  soon  after 
came  and  communicated  the  same  intelligence.  The 
brave  commander,  who  had  served  under  Generals 
Washington  and  Braddock  in  the  old  French  war,  was 
not  at  all  terrified  at  the  approach  of  the  hostile  foe. 
He  immediately  ordered  his  brother,  Colonel  Charles 
Lewis,  and  Colonel  Fleming,  to  take  out  their  com- 
panies and  reconnoiter  the  ground.  No  sooner  did 
they  come  in  sight  of  the  Indians  than  an  engagement 
commenced,  and  it  was  not  long  until  the  war  cry 
resounded  throughout  the  American  forces,  and  the 
battle  became  general.  It  was  a  hot  and  deadly  con- 
flict. The  Indians,  goaded  to  madness  by  the  cruel- 
ties inflicted  upon  them  and  their  fellow  red  men, 


232 


PIONEERS    OF    THE  WEST. 


fought  with  a  desperation  and  courage  truly  remark- 
able. No  less  remarkable  was  the  discipline  they 
sustained  throughout  the  contest.  But  Logan  was 
there,  and  his  master  spirit  like  a  magnet  held  them 
together,  and  the  tones  of  his  eloquence,  rising  above 
the  din  of  battle,  inspired  them  with  courage,  and 
nerved  them  for  the  deadly  strife.  Soon  both 
colonels  fell  in  the  battle,  one  dead,  and  the  other 
wounded,  having  received  three  balls  from  the  death- 
dealing  rifle  of  the  enemy.  The  fight  became  more 
and  more  terrific,  and  more  and  more  terrible  was 
the  slaughter,  the  Indians  evidently  having  the  ad- 
vantage, and  gaining  rapidly  upon  the  forces  of  the 
whites. 

For  six  long  hours  the  battle  had  been  raging 
without  any  cessation,  and  as  the  sun  rose  to  high 
noon,  and  commenced  his  descent  down  the  Western 
sky,  it  seemed  to  forebode  the  fate  of  the  army.  For 
one  hour  more  the  Americans  fought  breast  to  breast 
with  the  foe,  but  they  were  growing  fewer  and  fewer 
in  numbers,  and  weaker  in  power.  The  crisis  was 
rapidly  approaching,  and  soon  the  fate  of  the  army 
would  be  decided;  but  just  as  they  were  about  to 
abandon  the  field,  or  resign  themselves  into  the 
hands  of  their  enemies,  the  gallant  Colonel  Field, 
with  his  regiment,  rushed  to  the  scene  of  action. 
Alas!  that  it  was  to  meet  his  death,  for,  like  the  ill- 
fated  colonels  who  preceded  him,  a  ball  from  some 


LOGAN,  THE  MINGO  CHIEF. 


233 


unerring  rifle  pierced  his  heart,  and  the  intrepid 
soldier  fell  dead  on  the  spot  where  he  was  nobly 
fighting. 

Still  the  battle  raged.  The  fatigued  troops,  having 
been  reinforced  by  the  gallant  conduct  of  Field's 
regiment,  rallied  their  exhausted  energies  and  fought 
on.  The  last  rays  of  the  sun  were  tinging  the  forest 
and  flashing  on  the  river,  and  still  the  fight  lasted, 
but  not  with  the  same  vigor  and  fury  as  before.  As 
night  approached  a  stratagem  was  resorted  to.  A 
company  of  the  bravest  men  were  ordered  to  ascend 
Crooked  Creek,  a  small  tributary  of  the  Kanawha 
which  emptied  into  that  river  a  short  distance  from 
its  mouth,  for  the  purpose  of  gaining  the  rear  of  the 
enemy.  But  there  was  an  eagle-eye  upon  their 
movements,  and,  fearing  the  result,  night  having  ar- 
rived and  spread  its  dark  mantle  over  the  forest,  the 
Indians  retreated ;  and  thus  terminated  one  of  the 
most  desperate  and  long-continued  battles  ever  fought 
in  the  West.  It  was  emphatically  a  Western  battle, 
fought  by  Western  pioneers,  as  there  was  not  a  man 
in  that  army  who  fought  and  fell,  or  survived  the  con- 
flict, that  did  not  hail  from  some  region  west  of  the 
Alleghanies. 

Left  dead  upon  that  triangular  spot  of  ground 
formed  by  the  junction  of  the  Ohio  and  Kanawha, 
were  one  half  of  the  commissioned  officers  of  that 
gallant  army.     Many  were  slain  on  both  sides. 


234  PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 

Cornstalk,  for  that  was  the  name  of  the  chief  who 
had  the  general  command  of  the  Indians,  retreated 
with  his  forces  to  Old  Chillicothe,  on  the  west  bank 
of  the  Scioto,  where  the  town  of  Westfall  now 
stands,  that  being  head-quarters,  and  the  place  from 
whence  they  had  started  out  to  intercept  Lewis 
and  his  men,  who  were  on  their  route  to  join 
Dunmore. 

The  Americans  were  well  satisfied  with  the  terri- 
ble conflicts  of  that  eventful  day,  fatal  as  it  was 
to  many  of  their  gallant  officers  and  soldiers.  After 
committing  to  the  sepulcher  in  the  midst  of  that  for- 
est the  brave  who  fell  in  action,  on  the  next  day  the 
army  commenced  their  march  through  an  unbroken 
wilderness  to  join  the  other  wing,  under  Lord  Dun- 
more,  encamped  on  the  Pickaway  plains,  on  the 
Scioto,  near  a  hundred  miles  distant.  They  did  not 
leave,  however,  before  establishing  a  small  garrison 
at  the  Point,  if  for  nothing  else,  to  guard  the  sacred 
ashes  of  their  dead. 

After  a  fatiguing  march,  Colonel  Lewis  and 
his  men  ;  arrived,  and  found  Dunmore  encamped 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Indian  town.  Not  far 
north  were  the  ancient  works  of  a  forgotten  race, 
who  had  constructed  an  immense  circle  of  earth 
with  gateways  and  a  ditch  surrounding  the  whole, 
like  that  which  was  made  by  Cyrus  around  the  walls 
of  Babylon,  to  divert  the  course  of  its  river.    Here  in 


LOGAN,  THE  MINGO  CHIEF. 


235 


the  neighborhood  stood  Logan's  cabin  ;  for  since  his 
mother,  sister,  and  brother  had  fallen  by  the  hands 
of  a  race  he  had  more  befriended  than  his  own,  he 
had  turned  away  with  despair  and  madness  from  the 
calm  and  quiet  scenes  of  his  rural  life  on  the  Ohio,  to 
pitch  his  tent  among  his  savage  brethren,  and  with 
them  unite  his  destiny  forever.  It  was  a  hard  strug- 
gle for  a  humane,  generous  son  of  a  noble  and  gener- 
ous father,  the  invariable  friend  of  the  whites,  to 
break  over  the  ties  and  associations  that  linked  him 
to  the  friends  of  other  days ;  but  there  is  a  point  of 
endurance  beyond  which  the  most  magnanimous  and 
generous  spirit  cannot  go,  and  as  the  sweetest  wines 
are  said  to  make  the  strongest  vinegar,  so  love  and 
friendship  sometimes  turn  to  wormwood  and  gall. 
So  it  was  with  Logan ;  the  genial  sunshine  and  the 
bright  flowers  of  his  life  were  changed  by  the  cold, 
desolate  winter  of  an  adversity  which  left  no  ray  to 
shine  upon  his  heart  and  no  bloom  to  shed  happiness 
upon  his  life. 

Can  it  be  thought  strange  that  he  who,  on  return- 
ing home  from  a  hunting  excursion,  should  find  his 
house  desolate,  his  aged  mother  slain,  his  only 
brother  and  sister  murdered  in  cold  blood,  suddenly, 
without  warning  or  provocation — can  it  be  thought 
strange  that  he  should  become  an  enemy  of  the  race 
who  could  be  guilty  of  such  cruelty?  No.  We 
only  wonder  at  his  forbearance. 


236 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


The  two  branches  of  the  army  having  united,  and 
their  force  being  such  that  it  would  be  impossible  for 
all  the  Indian  tribes  that  could  then  be  rallied  to 
overcome  the  army  of  Dunmore,  and  seeing  that  they 
would  soon  be  driven  from  the  plains,  a  treaty  of 
peace  was  concluded  upon ;  and  soon  a  white  man, 
by  the  name  of  Elliot,  is  seen  approaching  the  lines 
of  the  encampment  of  Dunmore's  army  with  a  flag  of 
truce.  Accordingly,  though  much  to  the  dissatisfac- 
tion of  the  Yirginians,  who  wished  to  avenge  their 
loss  at  Point  Pleasant,  a  council  was  held  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  troops,  consisting  of  upward  of  two  thou- 
sand. Many  Shawnee  chiefs  were  there  in  council, 
but  Cornstalk  was  the  principal  speaker.  He  boldly 
charged  upon  the  whites  the  cause  and  consequences 
of  the  last  war,  and  referred  to  the  inhuman  treat- 
ment of  Logan  and  his  family. 

The  Mingo  chief  was  not  there  to  speak  for  him- 
self. It  was  not,  however,  because  he  was  un- 
avoidably detained,  or  that  it  was  impossible  for 
him  to  be  present  at  the  council.  No;  he  was  in 
his  cabin,  not  many  miles  distant  from  the  treaty 
ground;  but  his  proud  soul  disdained  to  meet  or 
treat  with  a  race  from  whom  he  had  received  such 
inhuman  treatment,  and  from  whom  he  had  a  right 
to  expect  nothing  but  acts  of  kindness.  Dunmore 
dispatched  a  messenger  to  bring  him  to  the  council, 
but  he  was  deaf  to  all  his  entreaties.    Taking  the 


LOGAN,   THE    MINGO   CHIEF.  237 

messenger  out  a  short  distance  from  the  cabin  into 
the  forest,  they  sat  down  on  a  log  together,  and 
there,  while  scalding  tears  chased  each  other  down 
his  manly  cheeks,  he  recited  the  sad  story  of  his 
wrongs. 

The  interview  ended,  and  the  messenger  was 
about  to  depart,  but,  before  leaving,  he  asked 
Logan  what  answer  he  should  return  to  Governor 
Dunmore. 

Rising  from  his  seat,  and  straightening  up  his  tall, 
graceful  form,  which  had  been  bent  with  sadness 
as  he  spoke  of  the  desolations  wrought  in  his  quiet, 
peaceful  home  by  the  hand  of  the  white  man,  he 
said,  in  firm  and  commanding  tones : 

"  Tell  Lord  Dunmore  and  his  officers  in  council, 
that  I  appeal  to  any  white  man  to  say,  if  ever  he 
entered  Logan's  cabin  hungry,  and  he  gave  him 
no  meat;  if  ever  he  came  cold  and  naked,  and  he 
clothed  him  not.  During  the  course  of  the  last 
long  and  bloody  war,  Logan  remained  idle  in  his 
cabin,  an  advocate  for  peace.  Such  was  my  love 
for  the  whites,  that  my  countrymen  pointed,  as  they 
passed,  and  said,  Logan  is  the  friend  of  the  white 
man.  I  had  even  thought  to  have  lived  with  you, 
but  for  the  injuries  of  one  man.  Colonel  Cressap, 
the  last  spring,  in  cold  blood  murdered  all  the  rela- 
tions of  Logan,  not  even  sparing  my  women  and  chil- 
dren.  There  runs  not  a  drop  of  my  blood  in  the  veins 


238 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


of  any  living  creature.  This  called  on  me  for  re- 
venge. I  have  sought,  I  have  killed  many ;  I  have 
fully  glutted  my  vengeance.  For  my  country,  I 
rejoice  in  the  beams  of  peace.  But  do  not  harbor 
a  thought  that  mine  is  the  joy  of  fear.  Logan  never 
felt  fear.  He  will  not  turn  on  his  heel  to  save  his 
life.    Who  is  there  to  mourn  for  Logan  ?    Not  one." 

The  following  paraphrase  of  Logan's  speech  was 
written  by  J.  D.  Canning,  Esq.,  of  Massachusetts : 

THE  SHADE  OF  LOGAK 

Through  the  wilds  of  the  West,  in  the  fall  of  the  year, 
A  wanderer  stray'd  in  pursuit  of  the  deer ; 
And  clad  in  the  garb  of  the  hunter  was  he — 
The  moccasin'd  foot,  and  the  bead-garter'd  knee. 

Though  far  toward  sunrise  the  wanderer's  home, 
He  loved  in  the  gardens  of  nature  to  roam ; 
By  her  melodies  charm'd,  by  her  varying  tale, 
He  follow'd  through  forest  and  prairie  her  trail. 

By  the  shore  of  a  river  at  sunset  he  stray'd, 
And  linger' d  to  rest  'neath  a  sycamore  shade ; 
For  soft  was  the  breath  of  the  summer-like  air, 
And  the  sweetest  of  scenes  for  a  painter  was  there. 

He  mused :  and  in  slumber  the  past  was  restored; 
When  thy  waters,  Scioto,  a  wilderness  shored ! 
And  the  Shade  of  a  Mingo  before  him  uprose — 
The  friend  of  the  white  man,  the  fear  of  his  foes. 


LOGAN,   THE    MINGO  CHIEF.  239 

Erect  and  majestic  his  form  as  of  yore ; 

The  mists  of  the  stream  as  a  mantle  he  wore ; 

And  o'er  his  dark  bosom  the  bright  wampum  show'd, 

Like  the  hues  of  the  bow  on  the  folds  of  a  cloud. 

The  tones  of  his  voice  were  the  accents  of  grief, 
For  gloomy  and  sad  was  the  Shade  of  the  Chief ; 
And  low  as  the  strain  of  the  whispering  shell, 
His  words  on  the  ear  of  the  slumberer  fell : 

"  I  appeal  to  the  white  man  ungrateful,  to  say 

If  he  e'er  from  my  cabin  went  hungry  away  ? 

If  naked  and  cold  unto  Logan  he  came, 

And  he  gave  him  no  blanket,  and  kindled  no  flame  ? 

u  When  war,  long  and  bloody,  last  deluged  the  land, 

Not  Logan  was  seen  at  the  head  of  his  band ; 

From  his  cabin  he  look'd  for  the  fighting  to  cease, 

And,  scorn' d  by  his  brethren,  wrought  the  wampum  of  peace. 

"  My  love  to  the  white  man  was  steadfast  and  true, 
Unlike  the  deep  hatred  my  red  brothers  knew ; 
With  him  I  had  thought  to  have  builded  my  home, 
No  more  o'er  the  forest  and  prairie  to  roam. 

u  When  the  leaf  which  pale  Autumn  is  withering  now 
Was  fresh  from  its  budding,  and  green  on  the  bough, 
Unprovoked,  by  the  white  man  my  kindred  were  slain, 
And  Logan  became  the  wild  Indian  again ! 

"  There  runs  not  a  drop  of  my  blood  in  the  veins 
Of  any  who  lives — not  a  mortal  remains ! 
Not  even  my  wife  or  my  children  were  spared — 
All  alike  at  the  hand  of  the  murderer  shared  I 
15 


240 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


K  This  call'd  for  revenge,  and  to  seek  it  I  rose ; 
My  hatchet  is  red  with  the  blood  of  my  foes, 
The  ghosts  of  the  dead  are  appeased  by  their  sire — 
I  have  glutted  my  vengeance,  and  scorn  to  retire ! 

"  I  joy  for  my  country  that  peace  should  appear, 
But  think  not  that  mine  is  the  gladness  of  fear. 
Logan  never  felt  fear.    In  the  deadliest  strife 
He'll  not  turn  on  his  heel  for  the  saving  of  life. 

"  "Who  is  there  to  sorrow  for  Logan  ?    Not  one !" 
Thus  spoke,  and  the  Shade  of  the  Mingo  was  gone ! 
But,  Logan,  thy  words  in  his  mem'ry  are  borne, 
Who  waking  did  mourn  thee,  and  ever  will  mourn. 

When  Logan  finished  his  message,  Gibson  de- 
parted for  the  camp  of  Lord  Dunmore,  and  delivered 
it  to  him  and  his  officers.  The  treaty  progressed, 
and  was  finally  concluded.  A  messenger  was  dis- 
patched to  Old  Chillicothe,  where  Logan  resided, 
who  communicated  the  result  to  the  Indians  and 
whites  who  were  there ;  that  hostilities  had  ceased, 
peace  was  declared,  the  tomahawk  was  buried,  and 
the  white  and  red  man  were  to  live  as  friends.  The 
intelligence  received  was  a  cause  of  general  re- 
joicing. The  soldiers,  who  had  been  dispatched  by 
Dunmore  to  watch  the  movements  of  Logan  after 
his  message  had  been  sent  to  the  council,  united 
with  the  Indians,  and  a  general  scene  of  back- 
woods festivity  ensued,  in  which  there  was  dancing 


LOGAN,   THE  MINGO  CHIEF.  241 

and  frolicking,  and  firing  of  guns,  and  the  air  rung 
with  the  glad  shouts  of  peace. 

But  Logan  was  not  there.  He  had  refused  to 
enter  into  the  treaty,  and  he  could  take  no  part  in 
the  celebration  of  a  peace  with  those  who  had  for- 
feited all  right  to  his  friendship.  Had  his  friends 
and  kindred  been  slain  in  honorable  warfare, 
none  would  have  been  more  ready  than  he  to 
hail  the  approach  of  peace,  or  to  unite  with 
them  in  celebrating  that  event.  But  such  was  not 
the  case;  and  feeling  in  his  heart  that  he  had  no 
true  friendship  for  such  enemies,  he  could  not 
and  would  not  feign  an  amity  that  did  not  exist. 
Leaving  his  cabin,  he  started  out  on  a  hunting  ex- 
cursion, and  pitched  his  camp  near  what  was  called 
the  Big  Spring,  one  of  the  most  noted  springs  of 
clear  living  water  to  be  found  in  the  West,  and  now 
known  as  "Logan's  Spring."  The  camp  of  Logan 
was  on  the  hill,  not  far  distant  from  the  spring,  and 
commanding  a  fine  view  of  the  surrounding  country. 
Here,  after  the  toils  and  fatigues  of  the  chase,  he 
would  sit  for  hours  in  melancholy  musing  over  the 
fate  of  those  of  his  race  who  had  passed  away,  and 
meditating  upon  the  destiny  which  must  sooner 
or  later  overtake  the  remainder,  as  the  white  man 
encroached  upon  their  hunting  grounds. 

Early  one  morning,  just  as  the  sun  tinged  the  tops 
of  the  trees  of  the  forest,  he  rose  as  he  was  accus- 


242  PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 

tomed,  and  left  his  camp  to  go  down  to  the  spring.  It 
was  a  lovely  morning.  All  nature  lay  in  calm  repose 
beneath  the  first  blush  of  the  morn,  genial  as  the 
smile  of  a  mother  over  the  sleeping  loved  ones  of 
her  household.  The  birds,  those  early  harbingers  of 
day,  were  up,  and  caroling  their  matin  songs  among 
the  trees  and  wild  flowers  which  bloomed  in  fra- 
grance around. 

As  Logan  cast  his  eyes  in  the  direction  of  the 
spring,  he  saw,  stretched  at  full  length  upon  its 
grassy  border,  a  hunter,  asleep,  with  his  faithful 
dog  beside  him.  The  sight  of  the  white  man  was 
the  occasion,  at  once,  of  raising  a  tumult  in  that 
dark,  deep  sea  of  passion,  which  only  slumbered 
when  his  thoughts  were  diverted  to  other  objects 
than  those  which  never  failed  to  plow  up  the  deep- 
est furrows  of  his  soul.  Instinctively  he  raised  his 
rifle  to  his  eye,  but  at  that  moment  the  growl  of 
the  hunter's  dog  awoke  his  sleeping  master. 

The  hunter  had  been  out  surveying  the  lands  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  spring,  with  a  view  of  entering 
them  as  his  own.  In  the  evening,  on  arriving  at  the 
spring,  at  whose  pure  bright  waters  he  quenched  his 
thirst,  fatigued  and  weary  with  the  toils  of  the  day,  he 
partook  of  his  venison  and  other  articles  of  food  which 
he  had  with  him,  and  concluded  to  rest  there  for  the 
night.  He  was  a  fine  specimen  of  a  backwoodsman, 
tall,  well  proportioned,  and  athletic.    He  seemed 


LOGAN,   THE  MINGO  CHIEF. 


243 


formed  for  endurance  as  well  as  fleetness;  and  a 
backwoods  training  had  qualified  him  for  all  the 
incidents  and  emergencies  of  a  border  life. 

The  growl  of  his  dog,  who  lay  close  by  his  side, 
roused  him  from  his  slumbers.  As  he  opened  his 
eyes,  the  first  object  that  met  their  gaze  was  the 
figure  of  an  Indian  warrior,  reflected  from  the  surface 
of  the  bright  water,  standing  on  the  opposite  hill,  in 
the  clear  light  of  the  morning,  with  his  rifle  at  his 
shoulder,  pointing  toward  him.  Was  it  a  dream? 
Was  the  image  on  the  mirror- like  surface  of  that 
transparent  pool  a  mere  shadow,  without  a  substan- 
tial basis?  Such  might  have  been  his  impressions, 
but  for  the  growl  of  his  quick-scented,  keen-eyed, 
ever-watchful  dog,  whose  eyes  were  fastened  upon 
a  distant  object.  Without  waiting  a  moment  to 
confirm  his  suspicion,  he  seized  his  rifle  and  sprang 
to  his  feet.  About  fifty  yards  from  him,  as  we  have 
already  described,  on  a  hill  overlooking  the  spring, 
stood  an  Indian,  whose  figure  stood  out  boldly 
against  the  clear  morning  sky.  There  he  stood, 
fixed  as  a  statue,  just  as  he  had  seen  his  form  and 
attitude  represented  in  the  water.  It  is  usual  for 
Indians,  as  well  as  white  men,  wThen  they  meet  a  foe 
in  the  woods,  armed,  to  fly  to  the  covert  of  the  near- 
est tree.  But  the  Indian  stirred  not,  neither  did  he 
fire.  Just  as  the  hunter  was  about  to  pull  his  trigger, 
the  Indian  lowered  his  rifle,  and,  throwing  the.  barrel 


244 


PIONEEKS   OF  THE  WEST. 


upon  his  left  arm,  opened  the  pan  and  threw  out  the 
powder.  Instantly  the  hunter  did  the  same;  and, 
throwing  down  his  rifle,  he  bounded  up  the  hill,  and 
with  outstretched  hand,  in  token  of  peace  and  friend- 
ship, received  the  wonderful  stranger. 

Who  but  Logan,  the  Mingo  chief  and  white  man's 
friend,  could  have  acted  thus  magnanimously,  and,  in 
danger  of  losing  his  life,  thus  set  an  example  which 
every  true  and  generous  heart  must  regard  with  en- 
thusiasm, as  a  species  of  moral  sublimity  rarely,  if 
ever,  equaled?  Well  did  he  say  to  Dunmore, 
"Logan  knows  no  fear,  and  would  not  turn  on 
his  heel  to  save  his  life."  How  strongly  does  this 
contrast  with  the  conduct  of  those  who,  on  seeing 
an  Indian  canoe,  filled  by  the  wife  and  children 
of  an  Indian  chief,  floating  on  the  placid  waters  of 
the  Kanawha,  sought  the  cover  of  the  bushes  which 
lined  its  margin,  and  from  their  ambuscade  fired  and 
killed  the  helpless  and  unprotected  mother  and  her 
little  ones! 

But  when  that  winding  stream  shall  cease  to  flow, 
and  mingle  its  waters  with  the  "  beautiful  river,"  and 
the  surrounding  hills  shall  exist  no  more,  the  inno- 
cent and  the  guilty,  the  slain  and  the  slayer,  shall 
meet  a  judgment,  from  the  decision  of  which  neither 
power,  nor  wealth,  nor  influence  can  escape ;  whose 
Judge  no  arts  can  bribe,  and  whose  decisions  will  be 
eternal. 


LOGAN,   THE  MINGO  CHIEF. 


245 


Logan — the  kind,  generous-hearted,  and  magnani- 
mous Mingo  chief — has  passed  away.  His  ashes  rest, 
if  not  in  the  same  locality  with  his  kindred,  at  least 
in  the  same  common  grave.  To  a  world  of  spirits, 
beyond  the  dark  and  shoreless  river, 

u  Whose  waveless  tide 

The  known  and  unknown  worlds  divide, 

Where  all  must  go," 

he  has  gone  to  mingle  with  the  departed.  On  a 
grassy  knoll  in  that  rich  and  beautiful  valley, 
watered  by  the  Scioto,  and  not  far  from  the  very  spot 
where  he  delivered  his  speech  to  General  Gibson, 
among  the  wild  flowers  which  nature  has  strewn 
over  his  grave,  repose  in  silence  all  that  remains  of 
th»  cr*ce  noble  and  manly  form  of  Logan. 


246 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


CHAPTEE  X. 

THE  MOUNTAIN  HUNTER. 

In  that  wild,  romantic  region,  in  which  the  north 
branch  of  the  Potomac  takes  its  rise,  there  lived,  in 
an  early  day,  a  family  consisting  of  a  man,  his  wTife, 
and  a  son ;  the  first  and  the  last  bearing  the  sobriquet 
of  "  Old  Joe,"  and  "  Young  Joe."  Their  cabin  stood 
in  a  notch  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  where  nature 
appeared  in  her  gloomiest,  and  grandest,  and  yet 
most  romantic  moods.  Not  a  solitary  human  being 
had  pitched  his  tent,  or  camp,  or  erected  his  cabin 
within  thirty  miles.  Well  could  Old  Joe  exclaim, 
when  from  some  craggy  peak  he  looked  down  upon 
the  interminable  forest,  with  Alexander  Selkirk, 

"  I  am  monarch  of  all  I  survey, 
My  right  there  is  none  to  dispute." 

None  knew,  wTho  knew  anything  of  the  locality, 
which  was  obtained  from  Indians  and  hunters  who 
sometimes  penetrated  the  wilds,  how  or  when  he 
came  there.  Some  even  conjectured  that  he  always 
lived  there,  and  was  a  product  of  the  mountain  on 


THE   MOUNTAIN  HUNTER. 


247 


whose  craggy  sides  he  had  his  home.  He  was  as 
much  a  child  of  nature  as  the  Indian  himself, 
and  was  perfectly  familiar  with  all  her  moods.  He 
took  delight  in  baring  his  brow  to  the  wild  winds 
which,  in  winter's  storm,  swept  in  howling  gusts  over 
the  mountain ;  or,  away  up  amid  the  nursing-place  of 
tempests,  where,  in  summer  storm,  the  lightnings 
seemed,  as  of  old  on  cloud-covered  Sinai,  to  issue  like 
fiery  darts  from  a  magazine  on  its  summit,  has  he  gone 
up,  like  Moses,  undaunted,  and  held  communion 
with  the  God  of  the  storm.  There  is  a  rapture 
enkindled  in  the  heart  of  a  child  of  nature,  in 
witnessing  her  various  phases  and  representations, 
more  sublime  and  transporting  than  ever  can  be 
inspired  by  art.  To  him,  when  bleak  and  dreary 
winter  comes,  and  the  trees,  stripped  of  their 
foliage,  stretch  out  their  skeleton  arms,  like  giant 
sentinels  on  the  mountain,  and  the  earth  is  covered 
with  a  winding-sheet  of  snow,  there  are  charms 
that  the  denizen  of  a  city,  wrapped  up  and  shivering 
in  his  mantles  of  fur,  never  can  discover.  Or  when 
summer  comes,  and  spreads  its  smiles  over  mountain 
and  valley,  only  such  as  breathe  the  air  of  the 
woods  and  mountains  know  the  heaven  of  enjoy- 
ment imparted  by  her  exhilarating  breath. 

Old  Joe  loved  the  solitudes  of  the  wilderness  as  well 
as  Cooper's  wild  "Nattie,"  when  only  an  occasional 
band  of  Indian  warriors  crossed  his  immense  hunting 


248 


PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


grounds.  After  clearings  had  been  made,  and  the 
eye,  instead  of  resting  upon  thick  forests,  beheld 
fields -of  waving  corn,  one  said  to  Nattie,  who  re- 
ferred to  the  pleasure  of  the  past,  "It  must  have 
been  a  melancholy  pleasure."  "Nay,"  replied  the 
hunter ;  "  have  I  not  told  you  it  was  cheerful ;  and 
that  when  the  trees  began  to  be  covered  with  leaves, 
and  the  ice  had  melted  away  from  the  lake,  it  was  a 
perfect  paradise.  But,"  said  the  hunter,  "  there  was 
a  more  magnificent  place  away  up  in  the  Catskill 
Mountains,  where  I  went  often  in  search  of  wolves, 
bears,  and  panthers.  Up  there,"  pointing  in  the 
direction,  "  where  the  summit  looks  as  blue  as  a  piece 
of  clear  sky  holding  the  clouds  as  a  drapery,  like  the 
smoke  which  curls  over  the  head  of  an  Indian  chief 
at  a  council  fire.  Just  there,  where  one  of  the  crags 
juts  out  and  overhangs  the  river,  and  where  the  rocks 
thunder  down,  almost  perpendicularly,  a  thousand 
feet,  there,"  said  the  hunter,  his  eyes  flashing  with 
excitement,  "  there  I  see  all  creation.  I  was  on  that 
hill  when  Vaughn  burned  'Sopus  in  the  last  war,  and 
I  saw  the  vessels  come  out  of  the  Highlands.  The 
river  was  in  sight  for  seventy  miles,  under  my  feet, 
looking  like  a  curled  shaving,  though  it  was  eight 
long  miles  from  where  I  stood  to  its  banks.  I  could 
see  the  place  where  Albany  stands,  and  the  Hamp- 
shire Mountains,  looking  like  haystacks  of  green  grass 
under  my  feet ;  and  the  day  the  royal  troops  burned 


THE   MOUNTAIN  HUNTER. 


249 


die  town,  the  smoke  seemed  so  near  that  I  thought 
[  could  almost  hear  the  screams  of  the  women.  All 
that  God  has  done,  or  man  can  do,  is  to  be  seen 
there." 

To  the  child  of  nature  there  is  no  solitude  in  the 
desert  or  on  the  mountain.  The  city,  fall  of  its  teem- 
ing thousands,  would  be  to  him  a  desolate  place.  So 
felt  Leather  Stocking,  so  felt  Boone,  and  so  felt  Old 
Joe.  In  his  mountain  home  he  was  happy,  and  that 
happiness  continued  until  the  days  of  his  earthly  pil- 
grimage ended,  and  he  breathed  out  his  spirit  into 
the  hands  of  that  God  who  gave  it. 

Young  Joe  had  grown  up  to  manhood,  and  such  a 
manhood  as  would  take  the  materials  composing  half 
a  dozen  young  men  of  the  present  day  to  manufac- 
ture. His  father  was  a  large,  athletic  man,  of  fine 
form  and  Herculean  strength,  and  his  mother  had  the 
strength  and  endurance  of  a  dozen  modern  ladies. 
From  such  a  parentage  everything  might  be  expect- 
ed in  the  way  of  strength,  activity,  and  courage.  In- 
deed, in  physical  strength,  as  well  as  size,  he  exceed- 
ed his  father,  and  when  at  full  maturity  he  was 
known  by  the  name  of  Big  Joe,  in  contradistinction 
from  his  father,  Old  Joe.  As  he  would  sometimes 
descend  the  mountain  heights  into  the  valleys,  and 
penetrate  the  settlements  which  were  here  and  there 
to  be  found,  widely  separated  in  the  wilderness,  for 
the  purpose  of  exchanging  the  skins  of  the  wild 


250 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


beasts  which  he  had  slain,  for  powder,  lead,  and 
other  articles  for  the  use  of  the  family,  he  became  an 
object  of  attention  far  and  near,  not  only  on  accoun- 
of  his  enormous  size,  but  for  his  strength  and  activi- 
ty ;  and  whenever  a  young  man  rose  above  his  fel- 
lows in  size,  it  would  be  said  of  him,  "  You  will  soon 
become  as  large  as  Big  Joe."  His  strength  as  a 
wrestler  and  fighter,  his  activity  as  a  racer,  and  his 
skill  as  a  marksman,  on  these  occasions  had  been  re- 
peatedly put  to  the  test ;  but  in  all  trials  he  came  off 
the  victor,  and  remained  the  lion  of  the  mountain 
and  the  valley.  Like  all  large,  strong  men,  he  was 
good  natured,  kind  and  gentle,  always  giving  rather 
than  taking  the  advantage  of  any  of  his  competitors 
for  the  prize  in  the  ring,  the  race-course,-  or  target 
shooting.  Everything  was  game  to  him,  as  he  would 
throw  down  in  rapid  succession,  one  after  another, 
of  the  pick  and  choice  of  the  country.  So  in  the 
race.  Giving  all  the  start,  he  would  bound  forth  and 
distance  all  upon  the  course,  sometimes,  in  his  play- 
ful glee,  seizing  and  carrying  a  competitor  with  him, 
and  awarding  him  the  prize,  by  casting  him  in  ad- 
vance at  the  goal.  No  one  could  beat  him  with  the 
rifle,  an  instrument  with  which  he  was  more  familiar 
than  the  ax.  He  could  load  as  he  run,  with  the 
greatest  ease,  and  his  aim  was  unerring.  His  nerves 
of  brass  never  allowed  his  gun  to  waver  a  hairs 
breadth  from  the  sight  of  hfe  eagle-eye,  and  if  he 


THE   MOUNTAIN  HUNTER.  251 

ever  failed  to  make  a  center  shot,  it  was  the  fault  of 
the  gun,  and  not  the  marksman.  No  Indian  could 
match  him  in  the  use  of  the  tomahawk,  because  none 
could  throw  it  as  far  as  he.  In  fine,  all  loved  him, 
and  none  sought  a  quarrel  with  him ;  even  those 
famed  for  their  strength  and  pugilistic  power,  and 
whose  envy  was  excited  by  the  rivalry  his  presence 
among  the  settlers  occasioned,  though  they  would 
have  given  the  world  if  they  could  have  conquered 
him,  never  sought  an  opportunity  for  a  fight,  con- 
sidering, as  they  did,  prudence  in  such  a  case  the 
better  part  of  valor ;  for  even  a  Tom  Hyer  or  a  Yan- 
kee Sullivan  would  have  soon  lost  his  wind  in  a 
contest  with  Big  Joe.  Though  the  latter  class  of 
which  we  have  been  speaking,  formed  an  exception 
to  our  general  remark  about  the  esteem  for  the 
mountain  hunter,  yet  they  had  too  much  respect  for 
his  power,  and  too  great  a  fear  of  his  arm,  even 

"To  hint  a  fault, 
Or  hesitate  dislike." 

As  it  was,  he  commanded  the  homage  and  respect,  if 
not  the  love,  of  all.  Envy  he  had  none,  because 
there  was  nothing  out  of  which  to  manufacture  so 
base  and  ignoble  a  feeling.  He  was  not,  however, 
without  ambition ;  nor  was  there  ever  a  truly  great 
and  noble  spirit  in  the  world  without  such  a  God- 
given  impulse  to  action.    But  his  ambition  was  to 


252 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


outrun,  not  by  throwing  impediments  in  the  way  of 
his  competitor,  or  by  crossing  his  track,  but,  giving 
all  a  start,  and  an  open  field,  and  fair  play,  to  distance 
them  in  the  race.  Like  the  proud  eagle  of  his  native 
mountain,  which  in  mighty  circles  sweeps  away  into 
mid-heaven,  with  its  undazzled  eye  on  the  sun,  leav- 
ing all  the  birds  of  the  mountain  below  him,  so  he, 
above  a  mean  act,  and  untempted  by  any  lure 
to  take  advantage  by  any  attempt  to  disparage  or 
weaken  the  fame  of  his  fellows,  either  in  regard  to 
skill,  strength,  or  valor,  sought  only  to  soar  above 
them  by  his  owTn  inherent  power. 

To  all  entreaties  to  leave  his  mountain  home,  and 
take  up  his  abode  in  the  settlements,  he  turned  a  deaf 
ear.  He  loved  the  creations  of  God  as  seen  in  their 
native,  unadorned  wildness  and  beauty,  more  than  all 
the  creations  of  man;  and  after  the  sports  were 
ended,  in  all  of  which  he  entered  with  spirit  and 
glee,  and  he  had  supplied  himself  with  powder  and 
lead,  he  would  return  to  his  home,  as  the  eagle  to 
his  eyrie,  on  the  mountain.  The  only  living  beings 
he  would  see  for  months  were  deer,  bears,  wolves, 
and  panthers,  and  the  various  tribes  of  animals  in- 
habiting a  primeval  forest. 

His  solitude,  however,  in  process  of  time,  was 
broken  in  upon,  and  his  sacred  retreat  in  danger  of 
being  too  closely  invaded.  One  man  erected  his 
camp  six  miles  east  of  him,  and  he  could  sometimes 


THE    MOUNTAIN  HUNTER. 


253 


hear  the  report  of  his  rifle  in  the  woods.  Another 
erected  a  cabin  about  the  same  distance  in  a  westerly 
direction ;  and,  finally,  a  hunter,  with  a  numerous 
family,  came  and  pitched  his  cabin  within  the  short 
distance  of  three  miles.  We  have  said  he  was  not 
envious  ;  and  to  show  that  no  such  feeling  existed  in 
his  mind,  or  that  the  slightest  degree  of  selfishness 
had  disturbed  the  deep,  calm  quiet  of  his  transparent 
soul,  what  he  might,  by  the  laws  of  squatter  govern- 
ment, have  claimed  as  his  own,  he  cheerfully  relin- 
quished to  the  new  comers,  and,  bidding  adieu  to  the 
cabin  where  he  was  born,  and  dropping  a  tear  upon 
the  mountain  burial-place  of  his  father  and  mother, 
he  started  for  more  distant  Western  wilds,  and  pitched 
his  camp  where  he  could  not  hear  the  crack  of  an- 
other's rifle.  The  time  of  his  departure  was  in  the 
spring  of  1787.  He  bent  his  course  toward  the  set- 
ting sun,  and,  after  traveling  upward  of  a  thousand 
miles,  he  at  length  called  a  halt  a  little  south  of 
Green  River,  in  Kentucky.  Those  who  are  ac- 
quainted with  that  section  of  the  country,  know  that 
many  portions  now,  after  the  lapse  of  more  than  half 
a  century  since  Big  Joe  took  up  his  abode  there,  is 
still  unbroken  by  the  hand  of  civilization.  Here  Joe 
found  plenty  of  game,  and,  as  he  knew  of  no  settlers 
within  many  miles  of  him,  he  concluded,  for  the  time 
being  at  least,  to  take  up  his  abode  in  that  region, 
and  accordingly  pitched  his  camp  and  lighted  his  fire. 


254 


PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


After  remaining  in  his  new  location  for  some  time 
unmolested,  his  retreat  was  found  by  a  Kentucky 
hunter.  The  Southern  Indians  had  invaded  the 
country.  A  desperate  battle  had  been  fought,  several 
years  before,  on  the  southern  side  of  the  Ohio  River, 
where  the  gallant  Lewis  fell.  Boone  and  Kenton 
had  established  forts  in  Kentucky,  and  every  effort 
was  made  to  defend  the  settlements.  The  object  of 
the  hunter  was  to  apprise  Joe  of  the  anticipated  ap- 
proach of  the  Indians,  and,  it  being  necessary  to  unite 
all  the  forces  of  the  whites,  to  invite  him  to  join  them 
in  defending  their  homes.  To  this  reasonable  request 
he  of  course  could  make  no  objection ;  so  once  more 
leaving  his  habitation,  he  started  out  with  the  hunter 
for  the  settlements.  He  had  not  been  long  with  his 
new-made  friends  until  an  attack  was  made.  The 
Indians  came  in  great  numbers.  A  rude  fort  had 
been  erected,  and  the  women  and  children  were 
placed  within  it  for  security.  Having  been  informed 
by  spies,  sent  out  for  the  purpose  of  reconnoitering, 
of  their  approach,  and  the  direction  in  which  they 
were  coming,  the  little  band  went  out  to  meet  them. 
Joe  was  comparatively  a  stranger  to  all  of  them,  and, 
as  true  courage  never  sounds  its  own  trumpet,  none 
knew  the  full  character  of  their  friend  and  ally  until 
it  was  tested.  That  opportunity  soon  presented  itself, 
and  when  foe  met  foe  in  deadly  strife,  foremost  and 
in  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  which,  after  the  first  shots 


THE   MOUNTAIN   HUNTEB.  255 

were  exchanged,  was  hand  to  hand,  was  to  be  seen 
the  mountain  hunter,  spreading  death  and  destruc- 
tion at  every  blow,  until  he  had  fairly  made  a  path 
through  the  entire  ranks  of  the  enemy,  leaving  the 
slain  in  his  wake.  He  swept  through  them  with  the 
power  and  impetuosity  of  a  hurricane,  which  levels 
the  forest  in  its  course.  It  was  the  first  time  he  had 
been  roused  to  fight,  the  first  battle  in  which  he  had 
ever  been.  He  knew  nothing  of  military  tactics  or 
of  Indian  warfare  ;  and,  following  his  own  impetuous 
nature,  he  seemed  like  a  giant,  crushing  all  before 
him.  Though  he  made  such  fearful  slaughter,  yet 
his  comrades  were  overpowered  by  numbers,  and  ere 
he  had  slain  the  last  man  in  his  track  of  death,  they 
had  retreated  to  the  fort,  leaving  him  alone  with  the 
enemy.  He  could  run  as  well  as  fight,  and,  know* 
ing  that  his  services  might  be  needed  for  another 
occasion,  he  fled,  taking  a  circuit  for  the  fort.  Toma- 
hawks flew  by  him  and  fleet-footed  Indians  pursued 
him,  but  he  distanced  all  and  gained  the  fort,  to  the 
joy  of  his  comrades.  Several  brave  hunters  fell  on 
that  well-fought  field,  but  a  tenfold  greater  number 
of  Indian  warriors. 

They  were  in  constant  expectation  of  another 
attack,  but  they  were  too  weak  in  numbers  to 
leave  the  fort  and  meet  the  enemy  again  in  the 
woods.    Accordingly,  they  made  every  preparation, 

and  resolved  to  defend  themselves,  their  wives  and 

16 


256 


PIONEERS  OF   THE  WEST. 


children,  to  the  last.  Such  confinement  did  not  suit 
our  hero.  To  be  shut  up  in  a  fort  was  as  galling  to 
his  feelings,  as  the  cage  would  be  to  the  lion  or  the 
eagle ;  and  he  became  restless  and  uneasy.  One  day 
he  proposed  to  some  of  them  to  go  out  into  the  woods 
with  him,  for  the  purpose  of  hunting  the  cows;  but 
knowing  the  danger  better,  or  fearing  it  more,  than  he 
did,  to  all  his  entreaties  they  were  silent.  Finding,  at 
length,  that  he  could  get  no  one  to  accompany  him, 
he  started  out  alone,  on  horseback,  taking  with  him 
his  true  and  trusty  rifle.  The  whole  forenoon  was 
spent  in  scouring  the  woods  for  many  miles  around 
the  fort.  In  all  his  travels  he  found  no  cattle.  They 
had  either  been  killed,  or  driven  off  by  the  Indians. 
The  descending  sun  indicated  the  approach  of  even- 
ing, and  he  turned  his  horse  in  the  direction  of  the 
fort.  As  he  was  pursuing  the  path,  he  came  to  a  lux- 
uriant vine,  from  whose  pendent  branches  hung  large 
clusters  of  grapes.  As  he  had  taken  no  food  during 
the  day,  he  concluded  to  stay  his  appetite  with  the 
fruit  which  hung  so  invitingly  in  his  path.  Laying 
his  gun  across  the  pommel  of  his  saddle,  and  taking 
off  his  cap,  he  commenced  filling  it  with  grapes. 

He  had  been  watched.  Evil  eyes,  intent  on  his 
destruction,  and  burning  with  revenge  for  the  losses 
they  had  sustained  by  his  dreadful  arm,  are  fastened 
on  him;  and  from  both  sides  of  the  path  the  crack  of 
deadly  rifles  is  heard.    The  ball  of  one  struck  him 


THE   MOUNTAIN  HUNTEK, 


257 


in  the  breast,  inflicting  a  severe  but  not  dangerous 
flesh-wound;  the  ball  of  the  other  pierced  the  noble 
animal  on  which  he  wras  seated,  and  he  fell  dead 
under  him.  Springing  to  his  feet  in  an  instant,  with 
his  rifle  in  his  hand,  he  might  have  fled,  and  no  foot 
could  have  overtaken  him,  though  wounded,  and 
bleeding  profusely.  But  the  lion  was  roused,  and  he 
would  rather  die  than  run  from  foes  so  base.  The 
moment  the  guns  were  fired,  one  of  the  Indians,  u 
giant  in  size,  like  himself,  seeing  the  blood  stream- 
ing from  the  bare  breast  of  the  hunter,  gave  a  yell  of 
savage  delight,  and  sprang  toward  him  with  toma- 
hawk in  hand.  The  eye  of  Joe  was  upon  him,  and 
his  gun  to  his  eye,  ready,  as  soon  as  he  approached 
near  enough,  to  make  a  sure  shot.  As  soon  as  the 
Indian  saw  the  hunter's  gun  leveled,  he  darted,  quick 
as  thought,  behind  a  tree,  not  quite  large  enough, 
however,  to  cover  his  person.  Finding  that  he  was 
not  safe  from  the  aim  of  a  backwoods  rifleman,  he 
sprang  to  another;  but  that  was  also  not  quite  large 
enough  to  protect  him  from  the  fire.  As  a  last 
resort,  he  kept  bounding  from  one  to  the  other,  with 
his  eye  intently  fixed  on  the  hunter. 

But  the  other  Indian,  where  wTas  he  ?  Just  there, 
in  another  direction,  behind  a  tree,  in  the  act  of  ram- 
ming down  his  bullet  preparatory  to  firing  again. 
Only  a  very  small  part  of  his  person  was  exposed,  and 
that  was  produced  by  the  slight  curvature  of  his  back 


258 


PIONEERS    OF    THE  WEST. 


made  by  the  action  necessary  for  forcing  down  the 
ball.    The  keen  eye  of  the  hunter  was  upon  him,  and 
instantly  turning,  he  leveled  his  rifle  and  fired.  The 
Indian's  back  was  broken  by  the  unerring  ball.  An- 
other yell,  more  terrific  than  the  scream  of  a  panther, 
waked  the  echoes  of  the  forest,  and  the  big  Indian 
was  now  bounding  toward  his  victim.    When  he  had 
approached  within  tomahawk  distance,  for  he  feared 
a  personal  encounter,  he  halted,  and  threw  it  with  all 
his  force ;  but  the  eagle  eye  saw  the  deadly  weapon : 
it  was  dodged,  and  flew  far  out  of  the  reach  of  either 
of  the  combatants.    The  Indian  then,  as  he  saw  J  or 
coming,  jumped  into  the  brush.    Joe  had  clubbed  his 
gun,  and  making  a  blow  which  the  Indian  dodged, 
the  stock  was  shivered  to  atoms  against  a  tree  stand- 
ing close  by.    He  made  another  blow,  and  such  was 
its  force,  that,  meeting  with  no  resistance,  the  Indian 
again  having  dodged  it,  the  naked  barrel  flew  out  of 
his  hands,  beyond  the  reach  of  both.    At  this  the 
Indian  gave  another  yell.    They  were  now  equal, 
unarmed ;  two  of  nature's  children,  in  giant  strength 
and  manhood.     One,  however,  was  wounded  and 
bleeding,  the  other  unharmed.    They  grappled.  The 
struggle  was  short.    Almost  in  an  instant,  the  Indian 
was  thrown  full  length  upon  the  ground.    But  he 
could  not  be  held  there,  even  by  the  strong  grip  of 
the  lion  hunter.     He  was  naked,  except  about  the 
waist,  and  his  skin  had  been  saturated  with  bear's 


THE   MOUNTAIN  HUNTER. 


259 


oil.  Six  times  did  he  gain  his  feet,  and  six  times 
were  they  knocked  from  under  him,  with  all  the 
ease  that  a  nine-pin  could  be  tripped  by  the  ball,  but 
with  greater  certainty. 

But  Joe  was  growing  faint  from  loss  of  blood,  and 
it  became  obvious  that  something  more  decisive 
must  be  done  to  terminate  the  contest.  Besides,  he 
knew  not  to  what  extent  the  other  Indian  had  been 
wounded,  and  it  became  him  to  change  his  mode  of 
warfare.  This  last  consideration  decided  the  fate  of 
the  poor  Indian.  Joe  might  have  played  with  him 
as  a  cat  with  a  mouse,  and  saved  his  life,  but  that 
there  was  greater  danger  of  losing  his  own.  The 
last  time  he  threw  the  Indian,  he  did  not  attempt  to 
hold  him,  but  springing  from  him,  he  aimed  a  blow 
with  his  fist  at  his  head,  just  as  the  Indian  was  in 
the  act  of  rising.  It  came  with  crushing  power,  and 
the  Indian  fell  as  if  he  had  been  smitten  with  a 
thunder  bolt.  Again  he  tried  to  rise,  and  again  the 
terrible  blow  sent  him  back  again  to  the  earth.  At 
the  third  blow  the  Indian  fell  heavily,  as  if  dead.  To 
make  sure  work,  he  grasped  him  by  the  throat  with 
his  left  hand,  leaving  the  other  free  for  any  contin- 
gencies that  might  occur.  Just  as  he  was  about  to 
give  him  the  death  grip,  the  Indian  slipped  his  knife 
from  its  sheath  by  his  side;  but  it  was  too  late,  the 
agony  was  over,  and  the  spirit  of  the  Indian  had  gone 
where  earthly  conflicts  are  unknown.     We  know 


260 


PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


not  which  to  pity  the  most,  the  fate  of  the  Indian,  or 
the  sad  necessity  which  impelled  the  generous-heart- 
ed hunter  to  take  his  life. 

When  Joe  rose  from  that  fearful  contest,  and  look- 
ed in  the  direction  of  the  other  Indian,  he  had 
crawled  some  distance  toward  them,  and  had  prop- 
ped his  broken  back  against  a  log,  endeavoring  to 
raise  his  rifle  to  fire.  Seeing  his  helpless  condition, 
and  being  unwilling  even  to  run  the  risk  of  being 
shot  by  a  crippled  Indian,  he  walked  off  leisurely 
toward  the  fort.  It  was  night  when  he  arrived,  and, 
covered  as  he  was,  from  head  to  foot,  with  blood 
and  earth,  hatless  and  gunless,  he  presented  a  sin- 
gular spectacle  to  his  comrades.  When  he  related 
his  adventure,  they  could  scarcely  believe  him.  He, 
however,  quieted  all  their  suspicions  by  telling  them 
the  work  would  show  for  itself;  and  promising  them 
in  the  morning  to  take  them  to  the  scene  of  conflict, 
he  had  his  wounds  dressed  and  retired  for  the 
night. 

When  the  morning  came,  a  company  was  raised, 
and  they  started.  On  arriving  at  the  spot,  they 
found  the  dead  horse,  and  the  ground  torn  up  con- 
siderably for  some  distance  around,  but  they  found 
no  dead  Indian,  or  any  appearance  of  one.  This  was 
a  mystery  to  Joe,  and  his  companions  thought  they 
were  hoaxed.  At  length,  one  of  them  found  a  trail 
in  the  leaves,  which  looked  as  if  it  had  been  made 


THE    MOUNTAIN    HUNTER.  261 

by  dragging  some  heavy  body  along  the  ground. 
This  trail  was  followed,  and  about  one  hundred  yards 
from  the  path  they  saw  the  big  Indian  lying  beside  a 
log,  covered  up  with  leaves.  As  the  wounded  Indian 
was  obliged  to  crawl,  in  consequence  of  his  back 
being  broken,  he  would  also  leave  a  track  in  the 
leaves,  which  was  soon  found,  though  not  so  plain  as 
the  other.  After  following  it  about  two  hundred 
yards  further,  they  found  him  lying  on  his  back,  dead. 
He  had  taken  his  own  knife,  and  with  it  stabbed 
himself  to  the  heart,  preferring  thus  to  die,  than  to 
fall  by  the  hand  of  the  pale  face.  On  returning  to 
the  spot  where  the  conflict  occurred,  search  was 
made  for  the  knife  of  the  big  Indian,  and  it  was  at 
length  found,  driven  down  into  the  earth,  even  with 
the  surface. 

In  all  his  after  life  the  name  of  the  mountain 
hunter  was  as  full  of  terror  to  the  Indians  as  it  was 
of  delight  to  the  frontier  settlers.  If  he  was  about  in 
camp,  or  fort,  or  field,  mothers  with  their  little  ones 
went  to  rest  with  a  greater  sense  of  security.  The 
very  fear  and  dread  of  the  man  by  the  Indians,  we 
have  no  doubt,  saved  hundreds  of  lives  where  his 
right  arm  destroyed  one.  We  say  that  Washington 
was  raised  by  an  overruling  Providence  for  the  times 
in  which  he  lived,  and  so  of  other  heroes  and  bene- 
factors.   May  we  not  say  the  same  of  Big  Joe  ? 

Some  years  after  peace  was  restored  and  Indian 


262 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


depredations  ceased,  the  frontiers  were  infested  with 
a  gang  of  outlaws,  who  engaged  in  the  nefarious  busi- 
ness of  horse-stealing  and  counterfeiting,  and  who 
secreted  themselves  in  the  depths  of  the  wilderness 
and  in  the  caves  of  the  mountains.  It  required  a  man 
of  the  nerve  of  Israel  Putnam,  the  wolf-killer,  to  beard 
these  desperadoes  in  their  den.  In  the  person  of 
Big  Joe  a  man  was  found  every  way  adequate  to  the 
task,  and,  accordingly,  he  formed  a  company  denomi- 
nated "  Regulators,"  which  started  out  on  an  expe- 
dition against  the  lawless  banditti.  While  engaged 
in  this  enterprise,  in  a  desperate  contest  which  ensued 
at  one  of  their  strongholds,  that  brave,  valorous,  and 
self-sacrificing  man  lost  his  life. 

May  we  not  say  of  him  what  Washington  is  repre- 
sented as  saying  of  Harvey  Birch,  in  the  Spy,  a 
tale  of  the  neutral  ground,  "He  was  a  faithful  and 
unrequited  servant  of  his  country ;  though  man  did 
not,  may  God  reward  him  for  his  conduct."  He 
was,  as  we  have  said,  a  child  of  nature.  He  grew 
up  in  the  forest,  among  wild  beasts  and  savage  men, 
and  to  him  little  was  given  beyond  natural  endow- 
ments ;  at  least,  he  did  not  receive  any  of  the  advant- 
ages connected  writh  moral  and  intellectual  culture ; 
of  him  we  know  but  little  will  be  required  by  the 
Creator  and  Judge  of  all,  in  that  day  when  every 
man  shall  receive  in  accordance  with  his  works. 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


263 


CHAPTEE  XL 

INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


In  the  year  1791  there  lived,  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Alleghany  River,  about  two  miles  above  Pittsburgh, 
two  brothers,  the  elder  of  whom  was  married,  who 
had  settled  on  a  small  piece  of  ground  and  had 
opened  a  farm.  One  day,  while  the  younger  was 
engaged  at  work  in  the  field  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  from  the  cabin,  an  Indian  approached  him,  and, 
deliberately  taking  his  ax  out  of  his  hand,  and  plac- 
ing it  alongside  of  his  rifle  on  his  shoulder,  he  took 
him  by  the  hand,  and,  pointing  out  the  direction  he 
wished  him  to  go,  began  to  urge  him  forward.  The 
youth,  taking  him  for  a  peaceful  Indian,  and  suppos- 
ing he  wished  him  to  do  some  chopping  for  him, 
yielded  to  his  directions,  and  started.  They  had  not 
entered  the  woods  a  great  distance  until  they  arrived 
at  the  Indian's  camp.  Suspecting  that  all  was  not 
right,  the  young  man  made  an  effort  to  escape,  and 
started  to  run,  but  he  was  soon  overtaken  by  the 
Indian,  who  threw  him  violently  upon  his  face,  and, 
taking  a  rope  which  he  had  about  his  person,  he  tied 


264 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


his  liands  behind  his  back,  and,  raising  him  from  the 
ground,  commanded  him,  by  signs,  to  follow.  They 
had  not  proceeded  far  until  they  fell  in  with  another 
Indian,  who  spoke  English,  and  who  assured  him  that 
it  would  be  useless  for  him  to  try  to  make  his  escape, 
and  if  he  did  so  again,  he  would  be  tomahawked  and 
his  scalp  taken  to  the  Indian  town. 

Pursuing  their  journey  through  the  wilderness, 
they  at  length  arrived  at  the  crossings  of  Big  Beaver, 
about  twenty  miles  from  the  mouth  of  that  stream, 
and  nearly  on  a  direct  line  between  Pittsburgh  and 
New-Philadelphia,  on  the  Tuscarawas  River.  Cross- 
ing the  river  on  a  raft,  which  the  Indians  constructed 
of  some  branches  of  trees,  they  crept  into  a  cave  in 
the  rock,  where,  without  fire  or  food,  they  remained 
till  morning.  They  were  afraid  to  make  a  fire,  lest 
they  might  be  discovered  by  the  hunters  ;  and  as 
they  had  already  run  a  risk  of  being  detected  by  the 
sound  of  the  ax,  in  chopping  branches  for  the  raft, 
they  were  the  more  cautious.  When  morning  came 
the  Indian  who  had  captured  the  boy  delivered  him 
over  to  the  safe-keeping  of  the  other,  charging  him 
strictly  not  to  let  him  escape.  On  they  traveled, 
weary  and  hungry,  until  toward  the  close  of  another 
day,  when  the  Indian,  feeling  the  pressing  wants  of 
his  appetite,  said  to  his  captive,  after  having  kindled 
a  fire,  "If  I  thought  you  would  not  run  away,  I 
would  leave  you  here,  and  go  and  kill  some  game." 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


265 


The  youth,  being  quite  as  anxious  as  he  to  have 
something  to  eat,  assured  him  that  he  would  not 
leave  the  spot  until  he  returned.  Fearing,  however, 
to  trust  his  word,  he  tied  him  to  a  sapling  a  short 
distance  from  the  fire,  and  departed.  The  position 
was  itself  not  only  uncomfortable,  but  the  young 
man  was  weary  with  travel,  and  faint  for  the  want 
of  food.  He  accordingly  made  an  effort  to  dis- 
engage, himself,  and  by  patient  perseverance,  finally 
succeeded  in  untying  the  rope.  He  did  not  attempt 
to  run  away.  That  would  have  been  useless,  as  he 
knew  not  which  course  to  take,  and  might  perish  in 
the  woods ;  besides,  he  would  be  as  likely  to  run 
into  the  track  of  the  Indian  as  to  escape  it.  He, 
therefore,  went  to  the  fire,  and  laid  down  by  it  to 
rest.  In  about  an  hour  the  Indian  returned,  but 
without  any  game,  and,  being  surprised  at  finding 
his  prisoner  released,  asked  him  why  he  untied  him- 
self. The  captive  told  him  he  was  cold,  and  wanted 
to  warm  himself.  "You  no  run  away,  then?"  "O 
no,"  said  the  young  man;  "I  don't  wish  to  run 
away."  He  then  gave  as  a  reason  for  his  returning 
so  soon  and  without  game,  that  there  were  Indians 
close  by,  and  he  was  afraid  they  would  discover 
him  and  take  him  away,  finding  him  alone.  They 
then  went  to  the  camp  of  the  Indians.  What  was 
the  joy  of  the  captive  to  find  among  the  party  some 
Indians  who  were  acquainted  with  him  intimately, 


266 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


and  who  had  often  been  at  his  home !  They  ex- 
pressed surprise,  as  well  as  joy,  at  seeing  him,  and 
gave  him  plenty  of  food  to  eat.  Here  they  tarried 
all  night,  and  next  morning  they  all  started  together 
for  the  Tuscarawas.  After  traveling  two  days,  they 
at  length  arrived  late  in  the  evening,  where  they 
met  the  main  body  of  the  hunters  and  warriors 
from  the  Alleghany,  having  made  that  point  their 
place  of  rendezvous.  Among  the  Indians  assembled, 
composed  of  different  tribes,  were  two  captives,  a 
man  and  his  wife,  by  the  name  of  Dick.  These, 
to  the  astonishment  of  the  young  man,  were  persons 
with  whom  he  was  acquainted,  having  been  his 
nearest  neighbors. 

As  soon  as  he  had  an  opportunity,  and  was 
allowed  the  privilege,  he  went  to  that  part  of  the 
encampment  where  they  were  confined,  and  making 
himself  known,  they  were  allowed  to  have  an  hour's 
conversation  together.  From  them  "the  young  man 
received  intelligence  that  two  of  their  neighbors, 
with  whom  he  was  well  acquainted,  had  been  killed 
by  the  Indians,  one  in  his  own  house,  and  the  other 
near  his  dwelling. 

After  remaining  a  few  days,  ten  of  the  Indians 
were  sent  to  Pittsburgh,  with  instructions  from  the 
chiefs  to  feign  themselves  friendly,  for  the  purpose 
of  trading  with  the  inhabitants.  Among  the  num- 
ber was  the  one  who  had  taken  the  young  captive. 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


267 


When  they  returned,  which  they  did  in  about  two 
weeks,  well  supplied  with  store  goods,  ammunition, 
and  whisky,  the  company  divided,  part  going  in 
one  direction,  and  part  in  another.  The  Indian  who 
had  taken  the  young  man  into  captivity,  united 
with  the  party  they  met  on  their  way  to  Tuscarawas, 
and  they  started  for  Sandusky.  When  within  about 
a  day's  journey  of  an  Indian  town,  where  Fort 
Seneca  was  afterward  built,  they  met  two  war- 
riors on  the  war  path  to  the  frontiers.  With  the 
whisky  which  had  been  supplied  them,  the  war- 
riors soon  became  intoxicated,  and  one  of  them,  out 
of  mere  recklessness  or  malice  to  the  whites,  fell 
on  the  youth,  and  beat  him  most  unmercifully.  The 
probability  is,  that  he  would  have  killed  him  if  he 
had  not  taken  advantage  of  the  darkness  of  the  night, 
and  made  his  escape  to  a  log  in  the  woods,  where 
he  secreted  himself  till  morning.  Being  missed, 
search  was  made  for  him  with  lights  in  the  woods, 
in  every  direction;  but  he  was  so  securely  concealed 
his  hiding-place  was  not  found.  From  his  position 
he  could  see  what  was  going  on  in  the  camp ;  and 
when  morning  came,  and  the  drunken  warriors 
started  on  their  journey,  he  came  from  his  place 
of  concealment,  and  was  gladly  received  by  the 
company,  who  expressed  sympathy  for  him  on 
account  of  the  bruises  he  had  received  from  the 
savage  warrior. 


268 


PIONEEKS   OF  THE  WEST. 


When  they  got  in  sight  of  the  Indian  town  they 
halted,  as  is  the  Indian  custom,  to  make  preparation 
for  a  grand  entree.  When  all  things  were  in  readi- 
ness they  commenced  their  march,  yelling  and 
whooping  most  frightfully.  The  Indians,  hearing 
the  sound,  came  out  and  received  them  with  corre- 
sponding yells.  Seeing  they  had  a  captive  in  the 
person  of  a  stout  young  pale  face,  they  commenced 
arranging  the  gauntlet  lines.  In  this  ceremony  al) 
take  a  part.  The  young  man,  wounded  and  bruised 
as  he  was,  could  not  escape  the  ordeal.  He  was 
informed  that  he  must  pass  through  the  lines,  and 
take  whatever  came.  As  he  passed,  every  one  gave 
him  a  stroke,  until  finally  he  was  felled  to  the  earth ; 
and,  pouncing  upon  him,  like  bloodhounds  on  a  prey, 
they  would  have  dispatched  him,  had  it  not  been  for 
the  timely  interference  of  the  athletic  and  powerful 
Captain  Pipe,  who  subsequently  burned  Colonel 
Crawford  at  the  stake  on  the  Pickaway  Plains. 
Pipe,  throwing  aside  the  young  man's  enemies, 
seized  him  by  the  arm,  and,  bearing  him  almost  like 
a  child  through  the  air,  reached  the  end  of  the  lines, 
when  the  ceremony  ceased.  Many  a  pale  face  has 
had  his  back  scored  with  the  blows  of  the  gauntlet. 
When  it  was  over,  those  who  had  been  the  most 
savage  in  inflicting  stripes  were  the  most  ready  in 
offering  commiseration;  he  was  stripped,  taken  to 
the  river  near  at  hand,  and  his  stripes  washed  and 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


269 


bound  up.  It  was  not  until  after  two  months  that  he 
recovered  from  the  beating  of  the  drunken  warrior 
and  the  stripes  of  the  gauntlet.  After  remaining 
some  time  at  the  Seneca  towns,  his  captor  having 
taken  a  wife,  concluded  on  another  tour ;  and,  taking 
him  along  with  them,  they  journeyed  through  the 
Black  Swamp,  toward  the  Maumee  towns.  The  jour- 
ney was  painful  and  difficult ;  but,  notwithstanding 
his  disabled  condition,  he  kept  up  with  the  Indian 
and  his  wife  until  they  arrived  at  the  Auglaize  River. 
Here  his  captor  met  an  Indian  whom  he  called  his 
brother ;  and  the  captive  being  presented  to  him,  he 
was,  after  due  ceremony,  adopted  into  his  family, 
and  received  the  name  of  the  son  of  Big  Cat.  In  this 
family  every  kindness  was  shown  him  that  savages 
are  capable  of  manifesting.  They  taught  him  their 
religion  and  ceremonies.  They  instructed  him  in 
the  use  of  the  bow,  and  how  to  throw  a  tomahawk, 
as  well  as  how  to  hunt. 

During  the  summer  they  remained  mostly  in  their 
encampment,  on  the  bank  of  the  Auglaize,  cultivating 
a  field  of  corn  consisting  of  seven  acres;  and  in  the 
winter  they  started  out  on  their  hunting  excursions. 
The  finest  hunting  grounds,  in  that  day,  lay  along 
the  Licking  River  and  Jonathan's  Creek,  in  what  is 
now  Licking,  Muskingum,  Perry,  and  other  counties ; 
and  in  the  valleys  of  the  Scioto  and  Hockhocking ; 
the  former  now  including  Franklin,  Ross,  Pike,  and 


270 


PIONEERS   OF    THE  WEST. 


Scioto,  and  the  latter  Fairfield,  Pickaway,  Hocking, 
and  Athens  counties,  all  now  densely  populated, 
and  from  which  the  wild  game  is  mostly  scared 
away. 

During  his  continuance  with  this  Indian  family, 
every  attention  was  paid  to  his  wants,  and  he  was 
with  the  utmost  care  instructed  in  everthing  per- 
taining to  their  religion.  The  time  passed  so  pleas- 
antly that  he  almost  forgot  that  he  was  a  captive, 
and  though  he  occasionally  sighed  for  home,  his  de- 
spondency on  that  account  would  soon  be  dispelled 
by  the  ever-varying  excitements  by  which  he  was 
surrounded.  Having  returned  with  his  adopted 
father  and  brothers,  one  day,  from  the  hunt,  they 
were  surprised  at  finding  the  Indian  town  in  an  up- 
roar of  excitement  and  confusion.  Rumors  had 
reached  them,  that  an  army  of  white  men  had  en- 
tered the  country,  and  they  expected  every  moment 
to  be  attacked.  Soon  as  things  could  be  got  in  readi- 
ness, the  squaws  and  boys  were  removed,  with  the 
goods,  to  an  encampment  further  down  the  Maumee, 
where  they  were  to  remain  until  after  the  war. 

The  chief  and  his  braves  started  for  the  scene  of 
conflict,  and  were  engaged  in  the  battles  fought  with 
the  army  of  St.  Clair,  whose  defeat  we  have  narrat- 
ed in  a  preceding  chapter.  Having  returned  with 
the  spoils  of  war,  the  families  were  removed  back  to 
the  town.     Among  that  portion  which  fell  to  Big 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


271 


Gat  were  two  fine  horses  and  four  tents,  one  of 
which,  was  the  splendid  marquee  of  the  general. 
This  was  pitched,  and  became  the  residence  of  the 
family.  With  him,  also,  he  brought  axes,  guns,  sol- 
diers' uniforms,  &c,  and  one  belonging  to  an  officer 
who  had  fallen,  which  would  fit  the  captive  youth, 
was  given  to  him.  Many  prisoners  had  been  taken, 
and  when,  some  time  afterward,  the  young  man 
visited  the  Chippewas,  at  their  town,  he  saw  and 
conversed  with  the  young  men  Patton,  Choate,  and 
Stacy,  who  had  been  taken  captive  at  the  massacre 
at  Big  Bottom.  He  also  saw  young  Spencer,  who 
was  taken  captive  at  Cincinnati.  The  latter  he 
found  at  the  rapids  on  the  Maumee.  Choate  obtain- 
ed a  liberation  before  any  of  his  companions,  and  the 
story,  as  communicated  by  an  Indian,  is  one  of  affect- 
ing interest.  He  was  observed  by  one  of  his  captors 
sitting  on  a  log,  with  a  downcast  and  melancholy 
look.    As  he  approached  him  he  said, 

"  What  makes  you  look  so  sorry  ?" 

u  I  cannot  help  it,"  he  replied.  "  I  am  thinking 
about  my  wife  and  children,  and  no  one  to  provide 
for  them." 

"  I,"  said  the  Indian,  with  a  tear  glistening  in  his 
eye,  as  he  turned  away  his  head  to  conceal  his  emo- 
tion, "  I,  too,  have  a  squaw  and  children,  and  I  would 
feel  sorry  if  I  was  taken  away  from  them." 

Saying  this,  he  advanced,  and  putting  his  hand  on 

17 


272 


PIONEERS  OF   THE  WEST. 


the  prisoner's  head,  remarked :  "  You  shall  not  stay 
away  from  your  wife  and  children.  I  will  let  you  go 
home ;  but  I  will  not  turn  you  out  alone  in  the  woods : 
I  will  go  with  you." 

The  next  morning,  before  the  sun's  rays  lighted  up 
the  forest,  having  got  all  things  in  readiness,  they 
started.  They  struck  for  the  Muskingum,  on  the 
banks  of  which  his  family  resided,  and  after  having 
arrived  on  its  banks,  the  Indian,  taking  Choate  by 
the  hand,  bade  him,  in  the  name  of  the  Great  Spirit, 
good  speed  to  his  wife  and  children. 

Dick  and  his  wife  subsequently  made  their  escape, 
and  going  to  Chillicothe,  they  there  took  up  their 
abode.  Mrs.  Dick's  escape  was  effected  in  a  singu- 
lar manner.  She  was  sent  for  by  a  black  man,  a 
servant  of  McKee  and  Elliott,  who,  finding  her  in  the 
woods,  took  her  to  a  boat,  and  she  was  headed  up  in 
an  empty  hogshead.  The  Indians  scoured  the  woods 
for  her  ;  came  and  examined  every  part  of  the  boat, 
and  turned  over  the  cargo,  but  she  was  nowhere  to 
be  found.  The  black  man  was  also  sent  to  effect  the 
liberation  of  the  young  captive;  but  he  was  too 
closely  watched  to  allow  any  opportunity  of 
escape. 

In  the  summer  of  1794  he  started  out  with  a  party 
on.  a  candle-light  hunt,  in  the  forks  of  the  Auglaize. 
The  expedition  was  a  successful  one,  and  after  re- 
maining two  months,  well  laden  with  game  and 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


273 


skins,  they  moved  for  home.  "What  was  their  aston- 
ishment, on  returning  to  the  town,  to  find  it  deserted. 
Supposing  the  inhabitants  had  gone  to  the  rapids,  as 
is  customary  every  year,  to  receive  presents,  they 
encamped  on  the  lower  island,  in  the  middle  of  a 
corn  field.  In  the  morning  they  were  aroused  from 
their  slumbers  by  the  loud  yell  of  a  savage,  whose 
war-whoop  conveyed  to  every  Indian's  ear  the  intel- 
ligence that  the  enemy  was  upon  them.  Instantly 
the  hunting  party  scattered,  and  they  had  scarcely 
left  their  camp  when  the  Kentucky  riflemen,  seeing 
their  smoke,  entered  it.  Not  being  able  to  take  any- 
thing with  them  but  their  guns,  the  Kentuckians 
took  all  their  game  and  skins.  Wayne  was  only 
four  miles  from  the  Indian  town,  and  this  was  the 
van-guard  of  the  army.  The  hunters  finally  met  at 
the  rapids,  but  they  had  not  been  there  more  than 
two  or  three  days,  until  Wayne's  spies  came  into 
the  camp,  and  fired  upon  the  Indians.  Several  were 
killed,  and  many  wounded.  The  Indians  returned 
the  fire,  and  the  spies  fleeing,  were  pursued.  One 
of  them,  by  the  name  of  May,  was  chased  to  a 
smooth  rock  in  the  bed  of  the  Maumee,  where 
his  horse  fell,  and  he  was  captured,  while  the  re- 
mainder made  their  escape.  When  he  was  brought 
into  the  camp,  he  was  recognized  as  having  been 
a  prisoner  in  one  of  the  tribes  before,  but  had 
made  his  escape.    The  chiefs  said  to  him,  that  they 


274 


PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


knew  him,  and  that  it  would  be  impossible  for 
him  to  escape  the  second  time. 

Near  the  British  fort,  at  the  edge  of  the  clearing, 
was  a  large  oak  tree.  Taking  the  prisoner,  they 
bound  him  to  this  tree.  He  was  adjudged  to  be 
shot,  and,  a  company  of  Indians  being  called  out  as 
his  executioners,  a  volley  was  fired,  and  his  body 
was  pierced  by  every  shot  from  the  deadly  rifle. 

The  battle  which  ensued  at  this  time,  between 
the  Indians  and  "Wayne's  army,  resulted  in  a  treaty 
of  peace,  and  a  consequent  cessation  of  hostilities. 
Big  Cat  took  his  family  to  Fort  Defiance,  and,  halt- 
ing a  short  distance  this  side,  he  took  his  captive 
over  with  him,  and,  placing  him  in  the  midst  of  the 
officers,  he  said : 

"  My  son,  there  are  men  of  the  same  color  as 
yourself.  There  may  be  some  of  your  kin  there, 
or  your  kin  may  be  a  great  way  off  from  you.  You 
have  lived  a  long  time  with  us.  I  call  on  you  to 
say,  if  I  have  not  been  a  father  to  you ;  if  I  have 
not  used  you  as  a  father  would  his  son  ?" 

The  young  man,  who  had  been  five  years  in  the 
family,  and  who  was  much  attached  to  the  chief 
and  his  children,  all  of  whom  wept  at  his  leaving, 
could  but  reply,  "Yes,  you  have  been  as  kind  to 
me  as  a  father  could  be." 

"  I  am  glad,"  said  Big  Cat,  "  to  hear  you  say  so. 
You  have  lived  long  with  me ;  you  have  hunted  for 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


275 


me ;  but  our  treaty  says  you  must  be  free.  If  you 
choose  to  go  with  the  people  of  your  own  color, 
I  have  no  right  to  say  a  word;  but  if  you  choose 
to  stay  with  me,  your  people  have  no  right  to 
speak.  Now  reflect  on  it,  and  take  your  choice, 
and,  when  you  have  made  up  your  mind,  tell  me." 

The  young  man  was  now  grown.  Thoughts  of 
home  and  friends  came  rushing  upon  him,  mingling; 
with  the  affection  he  had  for  his  Indian  father,  and 
the  children  he  left  crying  after  him  at  the  camp. 
Much,  however,  as  he  had  become  attached  to  the 
Indians  and  a  hunter's  life,  in  the  then  wilds  of 
Ohio,  and  its  ever-varying  and  exciting  scenes,  the 
ties  of  kindred  and  the  influence  of  early  associa- 
tions prevailed,  and  he  replied  at  length,  with 
tremulous  emotion,  "  I  will  go  with  my  kin." 

The  chief  replied,  "I  have  raised  you;  I  have 
taught  you  to  hunt — you  are  a  good  hunter — 
you  have  been  better  to  me  than  my  own  sons; 
I  am  now  getting  old,  and  soon  will  not  be  able 
to  hunt  any  more.  I  thought  you  would  be  a  sup- 
port to  my  age — a  staff  on  which  I  might  lean ;  but 
now  that  staff  is  broken.  You  are  going  to  leave 
me,  and  I  have  no  right  to  say  one  word ;  but  I  am 
ruined,"  and,  sinking  into  his  seat,  he  gave  vent 
to  his  feelings  in  a  flood  of  tears.  The  young  man, 
too,  was  overcome  with  emotion,  and  bent  over  his 
Indian  father  with  grief.    But  he  had  fully  resolved 


276 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


to  return  to  the  abodes  of  the  white  man;  and, 
taking  the  old  chief's  hand,  he  bade  him  farewell, 
and  left  the  fort,  never  to  look  upon  that  kind- 
hearted,  honest  face  again.  Having  been  furnished 
with  a  horse,  he  started  for  Fort  Greenville,  in 
company  with  Lieutenant  Blue,  who  treated  him 
kindly,  and  had  a  suit  of  clothes  made  for  him  to 
exchange  for  his  Indian  dress.  Except  in  his  color, 
and  that  was  dark,  his  face  and  hands  being  much 
bronzed  by  exposure  to  the  wind  and  sun,  he  was 
in  every  other  respect  an  Indian,  being  now  able 
to  speak  the  Delaware  language  as  well  as  his 
mother  tongue. 

After  remaining  at  the  fort  about  one  week,  a 
company  of  men  arrived  from  Cincinnati,  among 
whom  was  a  brother-in-law  of  his  brother,  with 
whom  he  lived,  and  from  whose  field  he  was  taken. 
From  him  he  learned  about  home,  and  was  also 
informed  that  he  had  a  sister  who  had  married  since 
his  captivity,  and  was  then  living  about  nine  miles 
from  Cincinnati,  on  the  banks  of  the  Licking,  in 
Kentucky.  This  to  him  was  joyful  intelligence, 
and  he  soon  started  for  her  residence,  where  he  was 
received  as  one  raised  from  the  dead.  Being  fond 
of  hunting,  he  went  out  to  hunt  for  the  neighbors, 
receiving,  for  every  deer  he  killed,  a  dollar,  and 
for  each  turkey  twelve  and  a  half  pence*  In  this 
he  was  quite  successful,  and  made  a  considerable 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


277 


sum.  Having  made  enough  to  purchase  a  horse 
and  an  outfit  for  travel,  he  started  to  his  brother's 
in  Pennsylvania.  So  great  had  been  the  change 
wrought  in  his  appearance  during  his  absence,  that 
he  was  not  known ;  but  when  the  brother  and  his 
wife  became  satisfied  that  he  was  their  lost  brother, 
they  were  overjoyed.  After  remaining  some  time 
with  his  brother,  he  returned  to  Ohio,  and  settled 
on  the  Scioto,  within  the  hunting  grounds  he 
traversed  when  in  captivity,  on  a  spot  where  the 
city  of  Columbus,  the  capital  of  the  State  of  Ohio, 
now  stands,  and  where  he  lives  to  this  day. 

In  this  connection  we  will  relate  another  remark- 
able captivity,  which  occurred  at  about  the  same  time. 
A  young  man,  residing  in  New-Jersey,  who  had 
reached  his  majority,  started  out  to  the  Western 
wilds  to  seek  his  fortune.  Having  crossed  that  great 
barrier  in  those  days,  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  he 
reached  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  in  "Western  Virginia, 
where  he  engaged  in  farming  in  the  summer  time, 
and  teaching  school  in  the  winter.  In  many  sections 
of  the  West,  even  to  this  day,  all  the  schooling  the 
children  get,  is  what  can  be  obtained  during  three 
months  in  the  winter  season,  from  an  itinerant 
schoolmaster,  whose  highest  attainments  are  com- 
prised in  a  knowledge  of  reading,  writing,  and 
ciphering  to  the  single  rule  of  three;  and  should 
any  boy  or  girl  be  fortunate  enough  to  fathom 


278 


PIONEERS    OF   THE  WEST. 


the  mysteries  of  the  latter  branch  to  that  extent,  they 
are  looked  upon  as  prodigies  in  "larninV  Times, 
however,  have  wonderfully  changed  in  this  respect. 

Our  young  aspirant  for  wealth  and  literary  dis- 
tinction was  not  a  whit,  however,  behind  his  illustrious 
compeers  in  "  teaching  the  young  idea  how  to  shoot/' 
We  have  said  part  of  his  time  was  engaged  in  farm- 
ing, and  three  months  in  school-teaching;  but  this 
did  not  consume  the  whole  time,  nor  did  it  exhaust 
the  capabilities  of  the  young  man.  He  spent  about 
four  months  of  the  year  as  a  ranger,  at  the  Mingo 
town,  about  twenty  miles  above  Wheeling.  After 
being  engaged  in  farming,  school-teaching,  and 
ranging  among  the  Indians  in  the  wilds,  he  con- 
cluded to  penetrate  further  into  the  West.  Accord- 
ingly, embarking  on  a  flat-boat,  he  started  down  the 
Ohio,  in  company  with  a  fleet  of  others,  number- 
ing, in  all,  nineteen.  It  was  necessary  then,  as  a 
protection  from  the  Indians,  that  boats  should  go 
in  company.  It  was  in  the  spring  of  the  year ;  and, 
as  the  river  was  high,  the  passage  was  quickly  made 
from  Wheeling  to  Limestone,  now  Maysville,  where 
they  landed.  Having  reached  his  journey's  end,  our 
schoolmaster  again  opened  a  school,  and  commenced 
teaching  the  children  of  the  pioneer  settlers  in  the 
rudiments  of  an  English  education.  While  here,  he 
became  acquainted  with  Nathaniel  Massie,  the  pio- 
neer surveyor,  and  founder  of  the  town  of  Manches- 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


279 


ter,  on  the  Ohio  Kiver.  Massie  was  desirous  of  hav- 
ing him  go  over  to  his  fort,  in  the  then  Northwestern 
Territory ;  and  being  pleased  with  the  man,  as  well  as 
desirous  of  cultivating  an  acquaintance  with  the  art 
of  surveying,  he  complied  with  his  request.  Accord- 
ingly, the  following  spring,  he  took  up  his  residence 
in  Massie's  fort.  A  gentleman  having  arrived  from 
Kentucky,  who  was  desirous  of  entering  some  land, 
Mr.  Massie  requested  the  schoolmaster  to  accompany 
him,  and  assist  in  laying  it  out.  In  the  fort  was  a 
young  man  by  the  name  of  William  Lytle,  who  had 
some  knowledge  of  surveying,  and  they  all  started 
together.  They  took  passage  up  the  river  in  a  canoe, 
for  about  four  miles,  when  they  entered  the  mouth 
of  a  creek  now  bearing  the  name  of  the  School- 
master. Here  they  landed ;  and,  making  a  point, 
Lytle  and  the  schoolmaster  carrying  the  chain, 
Massie  proceeded  to  survey  and  lay  off  the  grounds. 
After  proceeding  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  poles, 
they  came  to  a  large  mound,  which  attracted  their 
attention.  While  pointing  out  to  the  purchaser  the 
eligibility  of  the  site  for  a  dwelling,  they  were 
startled  by  the  approach  of  a  party  of  Indians. 
Instantly  dropping  the  compass  and  chain,  they 
started  at  full  speed,  the  Indians  after  them  in  hot 
pursuit.  Arriving  at  a  deep  ravine,  all  cleared  it  but 
the  schoolmaster,  whose  foot  becoming  entangled  in  a 
vine,  as  he  was  about  making  the  spring,  he  fell  near 


280 


PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


the  opposite  bank.  Three  warriors  were  immediately 
by  his  side,  and,  before  he  had  risen,  presented  their 
guns  to  his  breast,  as  though  they  would  shoot 
him  on  the  spot ;  but,  before  they  fired,  their  atten- 
tion was  diverted  by  Lytle's  hat,  which  came  whiz- 
zing back,  he  being  but  a  short  distance  in  advance, 
and  having  thrown  it  to  prevent  their  fire.  Seeing 
the  prisoner  made  no  resistance,  they  brought  down 
their  guns,  and  one  of  them  offered  him  his  hand,  to 
assist  him  in  rising.  The  Indians  then  took  their 
captive  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  gathering  up 
their  plunder,  and  bidding  him  follow,  they  departed. 
After  traveling  the  remainder  of  the  day,  they  en- 
camped at  night  on  the  waters  of  Eagle  Creek.  The 
next  morning  they  took  an  early  start  in  the  rain. 
As  they  journeyed  on,  they  had  several  runs  and 
branches  to  cross,  some  of  which  were  quite  high  and 
dangerous.  A  tall,  athletic  Indian,  seeing  the  prisoner 
was  fearful  about  crossing,  would  put  his  arm  in  his, 
and  assist  him  in  getting  over.  On  Sunday  morning, 
the  Indians,  having  killed  two  bears,  and  jerked  the 
meat,  put  it  up  in  a  rude  box  which  they  constructed, 
and  placed  it  on  the  prisoner's  back.  It  weighed 
about  fifty  pounds;  and,  after  carrying  it  for  some 
time,  until  he  was  exhausted  and  his  back  galled,  he 
threw  it  down.  At  this  they  raised  a  great  laugh 
among  themselves.  After  their  merriment  subsided 
they  examined  his  back,  and  finding  it  chafed  anC 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


281 


sore,  they  applied  some  bear's  oil,  and,  replacing  the 
burden,  journeyed  on.  He  did  not  travel  far  until  he 
threw  it  down  a  second  time  ;  and  the  strong,  friendly 
Indian,  throwing  it  upon  his  own  back,  they  pursued 
their  way.  Thus  they  continued  in  Indian  file,  the 
prisoner  in  the  center,  until  they  arrived  at  the 
Shawnee  camp,  where  they  halted.  Here  they 
made  an  Indian  of  their  prisoner,  by  pulling  out 
all  his  hair  except  a  tuft  on  the  top,  which  was 
inclosed  in  a  band,  and  decorated  with  turkey 
feathers.  Next  they  bored  a  hole  through  his  nose, 
and  inserted  a  ring.  The  camp  was  large,  and  quite 
a  number  of  warriors  had  collected  there. 

One  day  an  Indian  spy  came,  and  informed  them 
of  the  destruction  of  a  large  party  of  Indians  on  the 
Ohio.  The  intelligence  alarmed  them,  and  the  horses 
were  caught  up,  amounting  to  a  hundred,  and  packed 
<?eady  for  a  departure.  Early  next  morning  they 
were  on  their  march;  and  before  Kenton  arrived, 
with  his  ninety  men,  who  were  in  pursuit,  they  were 
far  on  their  journey.  In  the  evening  they  encamped 
on  the  edge  of  a  prairie.  After  taking  supper  on 
roasted  undressed  raccoon,  they  retired  to  rest.  The 
prisoner  was  tied,  and  placed  between  two  warriors, 
each  one  lying  on  the  ends  of  the  rope  which  secured 
him.  When  all  was  still,  and  sleep  had  closed  the 
senses  of  the  warriors,  the  prisoner  commenced  trying 
to  effect  his  escape.  The  rope  was  made  of  bark,  and 


282 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


he  began  to  gnaw  it  with  his  teeth.  Thus  he  contin- 
ued until  near  daybreak,  when  at  length  he  succeeded 
in  accomplishing  his  object.  Crawling  off  on  his 
hands  and  feet,  he  succeeded  in  getting  to  a  log  near 
the  prairie,  where  he  sat  down  for  the  purpose  of 
putting  on  his  moccasins.  One  was  on;  but  while 
in  the  act  of  putting  on  the  other,  he  was  missed, 
and  the  alarm  raised.  Instead  of  entering  the  prai- 
rie, they  took  the  back  track  through  the  woods, 
supposing,  of  course,  he  had  gone  in  that  direction. 
Soon  as  he  heard  the  yell,  he  started,  and  crossing  a 
portion  of  the  prairie,  he  entered  the  woods,  taking 
the  poorest  ridges,  and,  when  coming  to  logs,  running 
along  them,  and  crossing  from  one  to  another,  to  blind 
his  track.  Thus  he  continued  until  ten  o'clock,  when, 
ascending  a  ridge,  weary  and  faint,  he  crept  in  be- 
tween two  logs,  and  soon  fell  asleep.  His  slumber 
was  so  profound  that  he  did  not  wake  until  the  sun 
was  going  down.  Where  he  was,  he  knew  not;  nor 
how  far  from  or  near  to  his  savage  foes.  Springing 
to  his  feet,  he  traveled  on  until  he  found  a  hollow 
tree,  into  which  he  crept,  and  slept  until  morning. 
Much  refreshed,  though  with  blistered  feet,  and  hun- 
gry, he  continued  his  journey,  until,  after  several 
days'  travel,  during  which  time  all  he  had  to  eat  was 
a  couple  of  turkey's  eggs,  he  reached  the  Miami 
River.  He  followed  this  stream  down  until  he  struck 
Harmar's  trace,  made  the  previous  fall.    Seeing  a 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


283 


horse,  he  caught  him,  and  putting  on  him  a  bark 
bridle,  he  mounted  him,  but  it  was  only  to  be  thrown 
by  the  wild  animal.  Not  disheartened,  he  caught 
him,  and  sprang  upon  his  back  again,  but  again  he 
was  thrown,  more  violently  than  before,  and  lay  for 
some  time  insensible.  After  recovering,  he  resumed 
his  journey.  His  feet  had  become  entirely  bare,  and 
being  exposed  to  briars  and  thorns,  were  much  swoll- 
en, and  so  sore  that  he  could  scarcely  walk.  He  felt 
that  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  proceed  much 
further,  and  he  began  to  resign  himself  to  his  fate. 
He  knew  not  how  far  he  was  from  the  Ohio  River, 
and  there  were  no  settlements  between  him  and  that 
point.  The  horrible  idea  of  starvation  at  last  came 
upon  him,  and  in  gloomy  despair  he  laid  himself 
down  at  the  root  of  a  tree  to  die. 

Scarcely  had  his  head  touched  the  mossy  root,  ere 
he  fell  into  a  slumber.  It  was  not,  however,  a  pro- 
found sleep,  for  he  dreamed;  and  as  dreams  usually 
indicate  the  mind's  anxieties,  so  he  imagined  himself, 
like  the  pilgrim  in  Bunyan's  "Progress,"  asleep  on 
enchanted  ground.  In  his  dream  he  was  admonished 
by  some  kind  one  to  wake  and  pursue  his  journey; 
for  he  was  not  far  from  the  city  of  deliverance,  and 
by  perseverance  he  would  reach  it  before  night.  He 
awoke,  and  feeling  that  new  life  was  infused  into  him 
by  the  hope  the  dream  inspired,  he  hastened  on.  But 
his  physical  energies  could  not  keep  pace  with  his 


284 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


excited  imagination,  and,  after  traveling  a  short  dis- 
tance, he  sank  to  the  earth,  exhausted.  A  darkness 
came  over  him,  and  he  felt  that  his  hour  was  come. 
He  dreamed  again,  and  again  he  was  urged  to  pro- 
ceed, being  assured  that  before  the  setting  sun  he 
would  see  the  river  and  find  deliverance.  Rousing 
from  his  lethargy,  he  summoned  all  his  remaining 
energy,  and  moved  onward.  He  had  not  proceeded 
far  until  he  ascended  an  elevated  but  broken  plain; 
and  he  thought  he  could  discover,  in  the  distance,  an 
opening  in  the  forest.  This  inspired  him  with  fresh 
courage,  and  he  hastened  his  steps.  He  was  now  de- 
scending the  side  of  the  river  hill,  and  ere  he  had  got 
half  way  down,  he  heard  the  sound  of  an  ax,  the  well- 
known  harbinger  of  civilization.  The  sound  was  sweet 
to  his  ears,  as  the  harps  of  the  blessed  to  the  pilgrim 
when  he  crossed  the  river.  He  had  reached  the 
suburbs  of  Fort  Washington,  and  proceeding  cau- 
tiously, for  fear  of  alarming  the  chopper,  looking, 
as  he  did,  like  an  Indian,  he  succeeded  in  getting 
within  speaking  distance,  and  hailed  him.  The  back- 
woodsman, Mr.  William  Woodward,  subsequently 
founder  of  the  Woodward  High  School,  on  seeing  a 
savage-looking  person  before  him,  exclaimed, 

"In  the  name  of  God,  who  are  you?" 

The  schoolmaster  replied,  "  I  have  been  a  prisoner, 
and  have  escaped  from  the  Indians." 

At  this  Woodward  invited  him  to  approach,  and, 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


285 


seeing  his  helpless  condition,  caught  a  horse,  and 
helping  him  on  its  back,  he  led  it,  with  its  rider,  to 
his  house  which  was  some  distance  from  the  lot  in 
which  he  was  clearing.  The  settlers,  surprised  at 
the  singular  appearance  of  the  white  Indian  on  horse- 
back, began  to  gather,  and  before  Woodward  reached 
his  dwelling  quite  a  number  had  collected.  It  was 
difficult  to  convince  many  of  them  that  he  was  not  a 
spy.  Every  attention  and  kindness  was  shown  him 
by  his  host.  Clothes  were  procured  for  him,  and,  as 
far  as  possible,  he  was  restored  to  the  appearance  of 
a  white  man.  General  Harmar,  having  heard  of  his 
arrival,  sent  a  messenger  after  him  to  bring  him  to 
the  fort.  When  he  arrived,  a  large  number  of  people 
were  collected  to  look  upon  the  stranger.  The  gen- 
eral, not  being  without  suspicions  that  he  was  a  spy, 
was  on  the  point  of  placing  him  in  custody ;  but  he 
was  at  length  permitted  to  leave  without  imprison- 
ment. Having  recovered  his  strength,  he  entered,  as 
a  clerk,  the  store  of  Strong  &  Bartle,  gentlemen  for 
whom  he  had  previously  transacted  some  business. 
The  store  stood  near  the  river,  a  little  above  the  inter- 
section of  Main  and  Front  streets.  While  here  he 
met  an  acquaintance  from  North  Bend,  and  he  was 
prevailed  upon  to  go  home  with  him,  which  he  did. 
Having  been  a  captive  among  the  Indians,  he  was  an 
object  of  much  curiosity  among  the  people.  Find- 
ing, however,  that  he  was  regarded  by  some  as  a 


286 


PIONEERS  OF    THE  WEST. 


spy,  notwithstanding  his  own  declarations  to  the  con- 
trary, as  well  as  those  who  were  personally  acquainted 
with  him,  he  thought  it  best,  for  the  peace  of  the 
community,  at  least,  if  not  his  own  safety,  to  leave. 
A  contractor's  boat  coming  up  the  river  about  this 
time,  he  secured  a  passage,  and  arrived,  in  due  course 
of  time,  at  Maysville,  where  he  was  received  with 
every  demonstration  of  joy,  particularly  by  the  young 
people  who  had  been  members  of  his  school.  After 
remaining  here  some  time  he  went  to  Manchester, 
where,  if  living,  the  pioneer  schoolmaster  may  be 
found  at  this  day. 

We  must  not  omit,  in  this  chapter,  the  adventures 
of  the  pioneer  Kenton,  whose  name  we  have  intro- 
duced elsewhere.  A  young  farmer,  at  the  age  of 
sixteen  he  pushed  out  from  home,  and  braved  the 
wilderness  of  the  mountains  and  the  deep  forests  of 
the  West.  From  a  trader  he  heard  of  the  famous 
Kain-tuck-ee,  and  he  resolved  to  seek  his  fortune  on 
its  verdant  plains.  We  propose  not  to  sketch  his  life 
of  romance  in  this  chapter,  but  shall  give  the  reader 
an  account  of  his  captivity. 

On  a  certain  occasion  he  was  called  upon  to  take 
with  him  two  young  men,  and  go  on  an  expedition  to 
Chillicothe,  an  Indian  town  on  the  Miami.  The 
design  of  the  expedition  was  to  ascertain  the  condi- 
tion of  the  Indians,  in  view  of  an  attack  which  was 
contemplated  by  Colonel  Bowman.    Having  reached 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


28T 


the  town,  they  marched  around  the  houses  and  camps 

during  the  night  unperceived.     After  ascertaining 

the  condition  of  the  warriors  and  their  preparation 

for  war,  they  started  on  their  homeward  journey. 

Finding,  however,  in  their  path,  near  the  town,  a 

number  of  fine  horses,  belonging  to  the  Indians,  they 

concluded  on  effecting  a  stampede.    Each  mounting 

a  horse,  they  tried  to  get  the  rest  to  follow.  Being 

intractable  and  having  some  difficulty,  they  were 

discovered,  and  a  wild  yell  ran  through  the  town  that 

the  "Long  Knives"  were  stealing  their  horses.  They 

had  haltered  all  the  horses,  and  started  with  all  their 

speed  through  the  woods.    They  had  not  proceeded 

far  until  they  came  to  a  large  swamp,  which  it  was 

impossible  to  pass  without  being  mired.  Finding 

that  there  was  no  way  of  crossing,  they  changed  their 

course,  as  nearly  as  they  could  calculate,  for  the  Ohio 

River.    They  rode  all  night  without  stopping,  and 

only  halted  a  few  minutes  at  daylight.    Through  all 

the  day  they  pursued  their  journey  and  through  the 

succeeding  night.    Such  was  the  rapidity  with  which 

they  traveled,  that  when  morning  came  they  found 

themselves  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio.  Were  they  only 

on  the  southern  shore  they  would  be  out  of  reach, 

or,  at  least,  safe  from  their  pursuers ;  but  there  was 

no  ferry,  and  the  river  was  extremely  rough  from  the 

high  winds  which  were  prevailing  at  that  time. 

Holding  a  council  in  regard  to  what  should  be 

18 


288 


PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


done,  it  was  finally  resolved  that  Kenton  should  cross 
with  the  horses,  while  the  remaining  two  should 
construct  a  raft  for  taking  over  the  guns  and  bag- 
gage. Kenton  accordingly,  after  forcing  the  horses 
into  the  stream,  plunged  in  and  swam  by  their 
side ;  but  the  waves  rolled  so  high,  and  the  current 
was  so  rapid,  he  was  soon  carried  down  below  the 
horses,  who  were  much  more  able  to  breast  the 
tide.  Being  thus  left  to  themselves,  they  turned  and 
swam  back  to  the  Ohio  side.  Kenton  also  returned, 
and  after  resting  a  little,  he  drove  them  in  again, 
and  plunged  after  them,  but  the  same  result  fol- 
lowed. What  was  to  be  done?  It  was  perfectly 
certain  that  the  horses  would  not  cross  the  river,  at 
least  while  it  was  so  boisterous.  The  question  was, 
whether  they  should  cross  without  them,  or  wait 
until  the  wind  should  fall  and  calm  the  river.  The 
latter  they  adopted.  The  day  passed ;  but  the  wind, 
instead  of  lulling,  seemed  to  have  increased  in  vio- 
lence, and  so  continued  until  morning.  The  river 
having  become  somewhat  calm,  they  endeavored 
again  to  force  the  horses  into  it,  but  they  obstinately 
refused  to  try  the  waves  again,  and  every  effort  to 
get  them  into  the  stream  proved  unavailing. 

Knowing  that  the  Indians  would  soon  be  upon 
them,  no  further  time  could  be  lost  in  such  fruitless 
efforts,  and,  each  one  mounting  his  horse,  they 
started  down  the  river  in  the  direction  of  Louisville. 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


289 


Unwilling,  however,  to  leave  the  horses,  which  had 
started  back  on  the  trail  toward  home,  they  started 
after  them,  Kenton  in  the  center,  and  the  young 
men  on  each  side.  They  had  not  progressed  far 
when  they  heard,  about  two  hundred  yards  behind 
them,  the  yell  of  the  savage.  Instead  of  instantly 
putting  his  horse  to  his  speed,  and  fleeing  away 
through  the  woods,  Kenton  deliberately  dismounted, 
and,  leading  his  horse,  he  went  back  to  meet  the 
Indians.  Soon  three  of  them  made  their  appear- 
ance, in  company  with  a  white  man.  Raising  his 
rifle  to  his  shoulder,  he  took  deliberate  aim  at  the 
foremost  Indian,  but  the  powder  flashed  in  the  pan. 
At  this  the  enemy  rushed  upon  him,  and  he  took 
to  the  woods  on  foot,  pursued  by  the  Indians  on 
fleet  horses.  He  was  a  fleet  runner,  and,  as  the 
forest  was  dense,  and  much  fallen  timber  obstructed 
the  way  of  the  horsemen,  he  was  soon  out  of  reacli 
of  his  pursuers.  But  just  as  he  was  coming  out 
into  an  open  space,  he  was  met  by  an  Indian  on 
horseback,  who  had  taken  a  circuit  for  the  purpose 
of  heading  him.  The  Indian  rode  up  to  him  at  full 
gallop,  extending  his  hand,  and  in  affectionate  tones 
of  broken  English,  said,  "  Brother !  brother !"  Ken- 
ton shouted  that  he  would  surrender,  if  they  would 
give  him  quarter  and  good  treatment.  This  the 
Indian  promised,  and  seizing  him  violently  by  the 
hand,  Kenton  raised  his  gun  to  strike  him,  when 


290 


PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


an  Indian  from  the  wood  sprang  upon  him.  By 
this  time  all  had  arrived,  and,  after  tying  the  arms 
of  their  prisoner,  the  one  who  first  advanced  with 
the  words  of  kindness,  seized  him  by  the  hair,  and 
shook  him  till  his  teeth  rattled.  The  rest  fell  on 
him  with  ramrods,  and  beat  him  most  unmercifully. 
At  every  stroke  on  his  back  and  over  his  head 
they  would  exclaim,  "Steal  Indian  hossl  hey?" 
One  of  Kenton's  companions  came  to  his  assistance, 
but  the  other  made  his  escape.  As  soon  as  the 
Indians  perceived  him  they  gave  chase.  Mont- 
gomery wheeled  and  fired,  but  the  Indian's  aim  was 
more  certain,  and  he  fell  dead  in  the  woods.  The 
only  thing  that  ever  Kenton  saw  of  him  afterward 
was  his  bloody  scalp,  which  they  exhibited  to  him 
on  their  return. 

They  then  prepared  to  torture  their  prisoner. 
Causing  him  to  lie  down  on  his  back,  they  stretch- 
ed out  his  arms  at  full  length.  Taking  a  strong 
stick,  they  laid  it  across  his  breast,  and  tied  his 
wrists  to  each  extremity  with  thongs  made  of  buf- 
falo hides.  Stakes  were  then  driven  into  the  earth 
near  his  feet,  and  they  were  both  tied  in  a  similar 
manner.  A  halter  was  then  tied  around  his  neck, 
and  the  opposite  end  fastened  to  a  sapling  near  by. 
Then  they  drew  a  strong  rope  under  him,  and  encir- 
cling his  body,  fastened  it  to  the  stick  across  his 
breast  and  winding  the  ends  around  his  arms,  tied 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


291 


them  at  the  wrists.  By  this  means  his  arms  were 
tightly  pinioned,  and  thus  he  was  literally  bound 
hand  and  foot.  During  the  operation,  they  exhaust- 
ed the  vocabulary  of  English  oaths,  which  they  had 
learned  from  hunters  and  traders. 

In  this  position  he  remained  all  night,  his  limbs 
paining  him  very  much.  In  the  morning  he  was 
mounted  upon  one  of  the  wildest  colts  he  had  stolen, 
and  his  feet  fastened  by  cords  under  the  horse. 
When  all  was  in  readiness,  the  restive  animal  never 
having  been  backed  before,  started  off  with  his  Ma- 
zeppa  at  a  furious  bound.  Kenton  managed  to  keep 
upon  his  back,  and  after  several  ineffectual  rears  and 
pitches  to  throw  his  rider,  the  horse  became  quiet, 
and  followed  on  in  company.  When  night  came  he 
was  taken  from  the  horse,  and  pinioned  to  the  earth 
as  before.  On  the  third  day  the  party  arrived  in 
the  vicinity  of  Chillicothe,  where  they  halted,  and 
dispatched  a  messenger  to  inform  the  town  of  their 
arrival,  that  they  might  be  prepared  for  the  recep- 
tion of  the  captive.  In  a  short  time  the  chief  Black 
Fish  came  out,  and,  addressing  Kenton,  said,  in  good 
English, 

"  You  have  been  stealing  our  horses,  have  you  ?" 
"  Yes,  sir,"  responded  Kenton. 
"  Did  Captain  Boone  tell  you  to  steal  our  horses  f 9 
"  No,  sir ;  I  did  it  of  my  own  free  will  and  ac- 
cord." 


292 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


The  frank  confession  had  too  much  of  a  tantalizing 
tone  in  it,  and  the  chief,  approaching  him,  dealt  sev- 
eral violent  blows  with  a  hickory,  across  his  bare 
back,  which  caused  the  blood  to  flow  freely.  When 
they  approached  the  town,  every  man,  woman,  and 
child,  came  out  to  see  the  prisoner.  All  seemed  to 
be  enraged,  and  with  simultaneous  cries,  they  shout- 
ed, "  To  the  stake !  to  the  stake  !"  He  was  soon 
taken  from  the  horse,  a  stake  was  procured,  and 
driven  into  the  ground.  His  remaining  apparel  was 
torn  from  him,  his  hands  were  tied  above  his  head  to 
the  stake,  and  his  body  lashed  securely  by  ropes  to 
the  fatal  wood.  After  this,  the  whole  company 
danced  around  him  until  midnight,  making  the 
gloom  more  hideous  by  their  savage  yells.  Dry  fag- 
ots were  placed  around  him,  and  all  that  was  neces- 
sary to  complete  the  execution  was,  the  command  of 
the  chief  to  apply  the  torch.  Thus  he  remained  in 
dreadful  suspense  and  suffering  all  night.  In  the  morn- 
ing he  was  untied,  and  taken  to  the  town.  No  sooner, 
however,  did  he  arrive,  than  he  was  ordered  to  pre- 
pare to  run  the  gauntlet.  It  consisted  of  two  rows  of 
men,  women,  and  boys,  reaching  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
in  length.  At  the  starting  place  stood  two  grim, 
stalwart  warriors  with  butcher  knives  in  their  hands. 
At  the  extremity  of  the  line,  an  Indian  was  stationed 
to  beat  the  drum,  a  few  paces  beyond  which  was 
the  council-house.     Along  the  whole  lines,  clubs, 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


293 


switches,  hoe-handles,  tomahawks,  and  butcher-knives, 
were  brandished  in  frightful  array. 

At  length  the  roll  of  the  drum  announced  the 
period  of  starting  ;  and  the  daring  hunter  sprang  into 
the  lines,  and  breaking  through  ere  he  had  received 
many  blows,  he  started  on  a  turn,  and  darting  again 
in  the  midst  of  them,  he  distanced  his  pursuers  in  the 
direction  of  the  council-house,  which  he  reached 
without  having  received  any  injury.  Immediately 
after  the  race  a  council  was  held,  as  to  whether  he 
should  be  burned  at  the  stake,  or  carried  round  as 
a  captive  among  the  tribes.  The  council  sat  on  the 
ground  floor  of  the  council-house,  and  the  war-club 
was  passed,  those  in  favor  of  burning  striking  it 
violently  upon  the  earth,  and  those  in  favor  of 
retaining  him  as  a  captive  passing  it  in  silence  to  the 
next ;  the  latter  vote  prevailed,  and  it  was  resolved 
that  he  should  be  taken  to  an  Indian  town  on  the 
Wabash.  They  accordingly  started;  and  Kenton, 
being  suffered  to  walk  untied,  passed  along  in  sullen 
silence,  meditating  an  escape,  should  opportunity 
offer.  As  they  journeyed  on,  he  was  startled  by  a 
loud  yell,  and  the  distant  roll  of  a  drum.  They 
were  nearing  the  town,  and  before  his  excited  imagi- 
nation rose  the  gauntlet  and  the  stake.  Instantly  he 
darted  into  the  thick  undergrowth,  and  distanced  the 
swiftest  pursuers ;  but  it  was  only  to  fall  into  the  hands 
of  a  party  of  Indian  horsemen,  who  intercepted  his 


294 


PIONEEKS    OF    THE  WEST. 


path.  He  was  caught  and  tied,  and  led  into  the 
town  of  Pickaway.  For  this  second  offense  all  hope 
of  escaping  with  his  life  was  gone.  A  council  was 
held ;  the  war-club  passed,  and  his  fate  was  sealed. 
"While  sitting  in  the  council-house  hearing  his  doom, 
Girty,  a  white  man  who  had  forsworn  his  race,  and 
was  bloodthirsty  as  the  Indians,  came  in,  and  recog- 
nizing him  as  a  companion  spy  in  Dunmore's  Vvar, 
interceded  in  his  behalf  with  so  much  perseverance 
and  eloquence  that  he  was  saved.  Girty  treated 
him  with  the  utmost  kindness,  and  took  him  out 
with  him  in  his  hunts.  But  the  chiefs  were  not 
satisfied ;  and  another  council  was  held,  from  whose 
decision  it  was  impossible  for  Girty,  with  all  his 
influence  and  skill,  to  effect  the  escape  of  his  friend. 
A  halter  was  placed  around  his  neck,  and  he  was 
marched  off  to  the  place  selected  for  his  execution. 

On  the  way  the  celebrated  Mingo  chief,  Logan, 
came  up  to  him,  and,  taking  him  aside,  said, 

"  Well,  young  man ;  these  young  men  seem  very 
angry  at  you." 

"  Yes,"  said  Kenton,  "  they  are." 

"  Well,  don't  be  disheartened;  I  am  a  great  chief. 
You  are  to  go  to  Sandusky;  they  talk  of  burning 
you  there ;  but  I  will  send  two  runners  to  speak  good 
for  you  there." 

According  to  promise,  Logan  sent  his  men,  but 
all  the  influence  he  could  bring  to  bear  proved  of  no 


INDIAN  CAPTIVITY. 


295 


avail ;  and  Logan,  the  kind-hearted,  had  to  yield  him 
up  to  his  fate.  When  they  reached  Sandusky,  and 
all  things  had  been  got  in  readiness  for  the  execu- 
tion, a  Frenchman,  an  officer,  stepped  forward,  and 
asked  for  the  release  of  the  prisoner,  as  he  wished 
to  take  him  to  Detroit,  to  serve  in  an  important 
expedition  among  the  enemy.  After  much  entreaty 
he  was  given  up,  and  they  finally  arrived  at  Detroit, 
where  much  kindness  was  shown  him.  While  here, 
Kenton  found  two  young  men  who  had  been  taken 
prisoners  with  Boone  at  the  Blue  Licks ;  and,  being 
anxious  to  return  to  his  much-loved  Kentucky,  he 
opened  up  his  mind  to  them  about  attempting  his 
escape.  To  be  sure,  the  distance  wTas  nearly  three 
hundred  miles,  through  a  wilderness  infested  by 
Indians,  and  the  chances  were  all  against  them. 

At  length  they  succeeded  in  procuring  guns  and 
ammunition,  which  they  secreted  in  the  woods; 
and  off  they  started.  They  only  traveled  during 
the  night  season;  and,  after  a  weary  journey  of 
thirty  nights,  they  arrived  at  Louisville,  on  the  Ohio, 
about  forty  miles  below  the  spot  from  whence  Kenton 
was  taken  by  the  Indians.  He  subsequently  served 
in  Wayne's  army,  and  shared  in  the  decisive  victory 
achieved ;  and  spent  the  remnant  of  his  days  on  Mad 
River,  near  the  scene  of  his  former  adventures. 


296 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

"THE  OLD  CHIEF;"  OR,  THE  INDIAN  MISSIONARY. 

Half  a  century  ago,  in  the  then  far-off  wilds  of  Ohio 
embraced  within  the  limits  of  the  Northwestern 
Territory,  which  extended  from  the  hither  shore  of 
the  Northern  lakes  to  the  Ohio  River  on  the  south, 
and  from  the  Alleghanies  on  the  east  to  the  distant 
Father  of  Waters  on  the  west,  there  dwelt,  in  his  log- 
cabin  in  the  woods,  a  man  who  had  grown  up  from 
childhood  amid  the  stirring  scenes  of  backwoods  life. 
His  father  was  of  the  old  Puritan  stock,  and,  reared 
in  New-England,  had  been  early  sent  to  Princeton, 
with  a  view  of  training  him  for  a  minister.  Having 
passed  through  his  curriculum,  and  received  clerical 
orders,  he  entered  upon  the  work  of  the  ministry. 
Prompted  by  zeal,  as  well  as  that  adventurous  spirit 
which  ever  characterizes  the  Yankee,  and  urges  him 
out  to  new,  distant,  and  often  hazardous  enterprises, 
whether  as  a  merchant,  or  tradesman,  or  minister  of 
the  Gospel,  to  settle  in  Hong-Kong,  Calcutta,  Cape 
Town,  Buenos  Ayres,  or  Australia,  for  the  purpose  of 
driving  his  business ;  or,  as  in  the  persons  of  Marsh- 


"THE   OLD  CHIEF." 


299 


man  or  Judson,  Mills  or  Bingham,  to  plant  the  stand- 
ard of  the  cross  and  call  the  dying  heathen  to  repent- 
ance ;  so  our  preacher  was  fired  with  a  zeal  to  strike 
his  tent  and  pitch  it  in  the  "Western  wilderness  among 
the  wandering  savages  and  the  widely-scattered  desti- 
tute population  which  had  been  the  first  to  cut  a  path 
through  the  unbroken  wilds,  and,  leveling  the  forest, 
let  in,  for  the  first  time,  the  genial  sun  to  kiss  the  vir- 
gin earth.  His  passage  across  the  mountains  and  his 
descent  of  the  Ohio,  attended,  as  they  were,  with 
many  thrilling  incidents  and  hair-breadth  escapes 
from  the  ever-vigilant  savage,  who  resisted  every 
encroachment  of  the  white  man  upon  his  territory, 
and  contended  for  every  inch  of  the  ground,  we  shall 
pass  over,  and  follow  him  as  he  makes  a  landing,  and 
penetrates  the  cane-brakes  of  Kentucky.  Here  he 
gathered  around  him  a  little  flock,  organized  a 
Church,  and  administered  the  word  of  life  and  the 
ordinances  of  religion.  Again  and  again  was  the 
peaceful  quiet  of  the  scattered  settlement  where  he 
resided  disturbed  by  the  depredations  of  the  Indians. 
But  he  could  fight  as  well  as  watch  and  pray,  and 
often,  with  his  trusty  rifle,  has  he  sallied  forth  in 
company  with  his  parishioners  to  avenge  the  wrongs 
inflicted  by  the  red  man. 

The  first  academy  of  learning  ever  established  in  the 
West  was  opened  by  this  stern  and  sturdy  pioneer, 
and  there,  on  its  puncheon  floor,  and  beside  its  wooden 


800  PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 

chimney  and  paper  windows,  and  under  its  clap 
board  roof,  many  a  young  man  was  trained  in  the 
Georgics  and  Bucolics  of  Yirgil,  the  Odes  of  Anac- 
reon,  and  the  Iliad  of  Homer.  In  those  vast  cane- 
brakes,  where,  but  a  few  years  before,  roamed,  unmo- 
lested and  free,  the  elk,  the  buffalo,  and  the  Indian, 
and  naught  was  heard  but  the  cry  of  wild  beasts  and 
the  yell  of  the  savage,  now  was  to  be  heard  the  voice 
of  praise  in  the  temple  of  God,  and  the  voice  of 
classic  song  in  the  academic  grove.  Young  men 
were  there  trained  who,  in  after  life,  figured  largely 
and  usefully  in  Church  and  state,  and  contributed 
much  to  build  up  the  institutions  of  the  mighty 
West. 

But  few,  at  this  day,  know  how  far  the  present 
condition  and  prosperity  of  the  West,  with  its  liberal 
and  enlightened  government,  wholesome  laws,  politi- 
cal, literary,  and  religious  institutions,  are  directly 
traceable  to  the  indomitable  energy,  zeal,  and  perse- 
verance of  that  class  of  pioneers  about  whom  we  are 
writing.  As  our  country  owes  its  birth  and  great- 
ness, and  rapidly-increasing  and  augmenting  pros- 
perity, to  the  Puritans,  whose  iron  will  and  unfailing 
courage  prompted  them  to  brave  the  dangers  of  a 
wintery  ocean,  in  a  frail  and  feeble  bark,  and  seek 
a  home  in  this  new  world,  so  are  the  Western  States, 
which  now  spread  over  the  Mississippi  valley,  in- 
debted, for  their  existence  and  prosperity,  to  the 


"THE   OLD  CHIEF." 


301 


descendants  of  that  noble  band.  But  they  have 
passed  away ;  only  here  and  there  can  one  be  found ; 
yet  they  remain  as  the  solitary  oak  of  the  clearing, 
to  proclaim  the  ancient  glory  of  the  forest  which  once 
stood  in  grandeur,  unscathed  by  the  hand  of  time. 
It  is  well  to  reflect  upon  the  past,  and  gather  up  its 
reminiscences  ere  they  pass  away  from  the  memory 
of  man.  Be  it  ours  briefly  to  sketch  the  life  of  one 
of  these  ;  and  if  our  readers  shall  not  find  it  a  story  of 
more  romantic  interest  than  ever  occupied  a  page  of 
fiction,  it  will  not  be  for  want  of  startling,  veritable 
facts,  but  for  want  of  power  in  the  writer  so  to  classify 
and  present  them  that  they  shall  be  exhibited  in  such 
a  light  as  to  awaken  the  interest  of  which  they  are  in 
the  largest  sense  susceptible. 

We  have  already  informed  the  reader  that  the 
subject  of  our  sketch  was  a  son  of  the  preacher  and 
schoolmaster  of  the  frontier.  The  son,  partaking  of 
the  nature  and  disposition  of  the  sire,  was  unwilling 
to  be  hemmed  in  by  the  settlements ;  and  like  Daniel 
Boone,  who,  when  he  heard  a  man  had  built  a  cabin 
within  fifty  miles  of  his  own  rude  hut,  would  instantly 
remove  to  a  less  crowded  locality,  so  he  resolved  to 
travel  further  into  the  wilderness.  He  had  taken  for 
himself  a  wife,  a  hardy  backwoods  girl,  who  was 
ready  for  any  adventure  and  peril  her  young  and 
daring  husband  might  see  proper  to  undertake  or 
brave.  So,  without  even  a  horse,  or  farming  utensils, 


302 


PIONEERS   OF   THg  WEST. 


save  an  ax  and  a  hoe,  and  for  domestic  purposes  a 
camp  kettle  and  a  rifle,  they  started  out  on  foot  from 
Chillicothe,  to  seek  a  home  in  the  highlands  of  central 
Ohio.  Arriving  at  the  place  selected,  the  first  tiling 
was  to  cut  down  timber  and  erect  a  camp,  a  dwelling 
smaller  and  less  imposing  than  a  log-cabin.  Within 
this,  stakes  were  driven  into  the  ground  at  proper 
distances,  and  a  small  platform  erected  and  covered 
with  leaves  for  a  bed.  The  only  dependence  for  food 
was  upon  the  rifle;  and  as  the  woods  abounded  in 
game,  they  did  not  suffer,  as  bear-meat,  venison,  and 
turkey  graced  their  humble  board.  True,  they  had 
neither  salt  nor  bread ;  but  these  were  mere  luxuries, 
with  which  they  could  dispense,  as  they  ate  to  live, 
and  did  not,  like  most  of  the  present  day,  live  only 
for  the  purpose  of  eating.  Indeed,  it  would  be  well 
for  the  health  and  happiness,  long  life  and  usefulness, 
of  many,  if  they  were  shut  up  by  necessity  to  this 
primitive  mode  of  life. 

Fond  as  he  was  of  backwoods  life,  with  him  it  was 
one  continued  scene  of  the  most  exhilarating  enjoy- 
ment. "When  the  morning  sun  tinged  the  tree-tops, 
and  illumined  the  foliage  with  its  golden  blaze,  he 
was  out  with  his  gun  in  quest  of  game  for  breakfast; 
or,  if  supplied,  he  was  busily  engaged  with  his  hoe, 
which  answered  the  place  of  a  horse  and  plow  in  pre- 
paring a  small  piece  of  land,  which  he  had  cleared, 
for  a  crop  of  corn.    Though  he  had  received  a  relig- 


"THE  OLD  CHIEF." 


303 


ious  training,  and  had  been  educated  in  his  father's 
academy,  and  could  scan  Yirgil  and  Homer,  and  had 
been  for  years  engaged  in  studying  medicine,  yet  he 
was  wild  as  the  woods  in  which  he  lived,  and  reckless 
as  the  Indian,  who  dared  not  meet  him  in  mortal 
combat.  To  a  Herculean  frame  was  united  a  fleetness 
of  foot  that  made  him  at  home  the  greatest  fighter, 
wrestler,  and  runner,  that  could  be  found  at  a  "rais- 
ing," " log-rolling,"  " corn-husking,"  or  "quilting." 
Many  a  white  man  and  Indian  have  felt  the  power  of 
his  arm,  and  few  were  willing  to  enter  the  lists  with 
Mm  in  any  of  the  backwoods  games  we  have  enu- 
merated, which,  although  not  so  classical,  in  their 
" knock-down  and  drag-out"  character,  as  the  Olympic 
or  Isthmian,  nevertheless  required  equally  great  skill, 
strength,  and  courage.  What  pigmies  are  the  present 
race,  compared  with  that  which  leveled  the  forests  of 
the  West !  We  fear  that  gymnastics  and  calisthenics 
will  not  save  us  from  a  physical  deterioration,  at  least, 
unless  we  shall  change  our  habits  and  modes  of  life. 
We  talk  much  of  the  Anglo-Saxon,  and  are  wont  to 
boast  of  the  mental  energy  and  physical  courage 
which  characterize  him,  as  well  as  the  Anglo- Amer- 
ican; and  we  speak  of  his  conquests  as  if  the  subju- 
gation of  the  world  was  the  "manifest  destiny"  he 
had  to  work  out ;  but  we  must  remember  that  the 
iron  constitution  of  the  proud  Roman  was  eventually 
undermined  and  finally  gave  way  to  the  enervating 


304 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


influences  of  habits  which  induced  effeminacy.  Rome 
conquered  the  world,  carrying  her  victorious  arms  to 
every  land,  and  planting  her  eagle  standard  on  every 
shore;  but  uncultivated  Scandinavian  hordes  came 
upon  her  in  an  evil  hour,  and,  like  Samson,  shorn 
of  her  strength  by  the  soft,  bewitching  arts  of  the 
beautiful  Delilah,  she  fell  a  victim  to  her  softness  of 
manners. 

While  our  pioneer  fathers  could  travel  barefooted 
in  the  snow  all  day,  or,  at  most,  with  bark  sandals  to 
protect  them,  and  camp  out  all  night  without  food, 
and  often  without  fire,  subsisting  for  days  upon  coons 
and  wild  cats,  without  salt  or  bread,  and  peeling  bark 
with  their  teeth,  it  was  not  likely  they  would  produce 
children  of  dyspeptic  habits  and  stunted  growth.  It  is 
not  probable  that  their  sons  would  go  shivering  from 
block  to  block  through  our  crowded  thoroughfares, 
with  pale  faces,  under  a  load  of  over-garments,  and 
wrapped  up  in  shawls  and  furs;  or  that  their  daugh- 
ters would  need  rouge  to  bring  the  color  to  their 
cheeks,  and  a  little  eau  de  vie  to  give  elasticity  to 
the  step  and  brightness  to  the  eye.  Nay,  the  sons 
could  chop  throughout  a  winter's  day  without  the 
smell  of  fire,  and  the  daughters  could  pile  brush  and 
roll  logs,  and  at  night,  with  pine  knot  torches,  they 
could  travel  miles  to  a  husking,  or  quilting,  or  danc- 
ing frolic.  Such  were  the  exercises  and  sports  of  our 
young  backwoodsman. 


"THE   OLD  CHIEF." 


305 


But  scarcely  had  the  second  winter  passed  in 
which  he  had  exchanged  his  Indian  camp  for  a  log- 
cabin,  and  stored  its  loft  with  the  yellow  corn  which 
he  had  reared  with  his  hoe  in  the  plum  bottom, 
than  an  incident  occurred,  which  at  once  swept 
from  him  all  his  earthly  hopes.  He  had,  unwittingly, 
gone  security  for  one  of  his  neighbors,  and  judg- 
ment being  rendered  against  him,  in  default  of  the 
principal  to  pay,  his  cabin  and  land  were  sold  by 
the  sheriff  to  satisfy  said  judgment,  and  he  and  his 
wife  turned  out  homeless.  "Nil  desperandum" 
which  having  cut  with  his  hunting-knife  deep  in 
the  bark  of  a  beech-tree,  he  took  his  wife  to  a 
friend's,  and  shouldered  his  rifle,  determined  to  take 
a  winter's  hunt,  and  see  if  he  could  not  retrieve  his 
fallen  fortunes.  With  a  firm  resolution  to  do  his 
utmost,  he  penetrated  deep  into  the  wilderness, 
hunting  all  day,  and  camping  by  night  at  the  root 
of  some  tree,  whose  branches  made  the  only  cover- 
ing that  protected  him.  Fear,  he  had  none,  for  he 
had  grappled  with  bears  and  wolves,  as  well  as  with 
savage  white  and  red  men.  So  perfectly  daring,  if 
not  reckless,  had  he  become,  that  his  feats  at  elec- 
tions and  shooting-matches  secured  for  him  the 
sobriquet  of  the  "New  Market  Devil."  His  winter's 
hunt  was  crowned  with  success,  and  his  venison 
and  skins  of  different  kinds  brought  him  as  much 

in  market  as  he  had  lost  by  becoming  surety  for 

19 


306 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


another,  and  again  he  returned  to  the  cultivation  of 
the  soil. 

Many  were  the  deep,  tumultuous  upheavings  of 
his  soul,  while  free  from  the  excitement  of  the 
chase,  when  solitude  and  darkness  were  around 
him.  He  feared  not  man,  nor  the  wild  beasts  that 
prowled  around  him;  but,  wicked  as  he  was,  he 
feared  God.  Well  could  he  say  he  had  wronged 
no  man,  he  had  robbed  no  man ;  but  his  catechism 
had  taught  him,  that  it  was  not  all  of  man's  duty 
to  do  justly,  that  the  "  chief  end  of  every  being 
was  to  glorify  God  and  enjoy  him  forever."  Often 
would  he  gaze  up  into  the  heavens  when  the  mid- 
night storm  was  careering  in  majesty,  and  the  forest 
roared  like  the  surges  of  the  sea  in  its  rocky  caves; 
and  the  reflection  that  he  had  not  devoted  himself 
to  the  service  of  his  God  would  come  with  power  to 
his  enlightened  conscience,  and  make  him  tremble. 

"  As  coward  guilt  and  pallid  fear 

To  sheltering  caverns  fly, 
And  justly  dread  the  vengeful  fate 

That  thunders  'long  the  sky," 

so  would  he  fain  have  hidden  himself  from  the 
Almighty ;  but  his  awful  presence  was  felt  in  the 
deep  solitude  of  the  desert  as  none  can  feel  it, 
hemmed  in  by  the  works  of  man.  We  need  not 
say  that  he  was  educated  in  the  faith  which,  accord- 


"THE   OLD  CHIEF."  307 

ing  to  the  venerable  Saybrook  platform,  makes  God 
a  Sovereign,  and  refers  to  bis  will  solely  the  destiny 
of  man,  electing  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  passing 
by  others  to  be  left  to  the  doom  that  awaits  their 
guilty  state.  On  one  occasion  his  thoughts  became 
so  intense  upon  this  subject,  that,  comparing  hiy 
ungracious  state  with  the  doctrine  of  election,  he 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  he  was  a  reprobate, 
and  a  dark  and  fearful  doom  awTaited  him.  Nothing 
preys  upon  the  mind  of  man  more  intensely  than 
his  relations  to  God  and  eternity.  Only  let  the 
subject  once  fairly  pervade  it,  and  there  is  no  power 
so  potent  to  control  and  guide  it  as  the  possession 
of  such  a  faith.  Let  the  conviction  seize  the  soul 
of  a  man  that  he  is  doomed,  and  that  no  provision 
in  the  scheme  of  mercy  can  reach  his  case,  and  all 
the  arguments  of  men  and  angels  cannot  chase  from 
his  mind  the  sullen  despair  which  settles  down, 
shade  after  shade,  in  blackness  upon  his  forlorn 
spirit.  How  many  have  been  driven  to  madness 
and  death,  or  to  the  lunatic  asylum,  by  the  deep, 
insupportable  agony  which  has  been  induced  by 
allowing  their  minds  to  take  a  wrong  turn  in  this 
matter,  or  whose  religious  instructions  have  been 
such  as  to  produce  a  result  of  this  description.  Of 
all  the  forms  of  mania,  this  is  the  worst,  and  the 
most  to  be  dreaded,  because  its  tendency  is  almost 
invariably  to  suicide.    Whatever  may  be  the  pur- 


308  PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


poses  of  God  in  the  ultimate  destiny  of  any  man, 
these  purposes  cannot  be  known  to  mortals;  and 
those  who  have  the  care  of  souls  should  be  careful 
to  reveal  the  Almighty  in  those  forms  in  which  he 
lias  the  most  clearly  manifested  himself.  The  clergy 
will  forgive  me  for  these  suggestions,  as  a  vast 
amount  of  mental  misery,  without  working  any  ulti- 
mate evil,  may  be  avoided  by  attention  thereto. 

Added  to  the  instructions  the  backwoods  hunter 
had  received  was  a  volume  of  sermons,  which  dwelt 
altogether  upon  the  somber  side  of  religion,  and  were 
as  full  of  wrath  as  Milton's  lake  of  fire  was  full  of 
fiends.  A  gloomy  dyspeptic,  or  one  who  has  the 
moral  delirium  tremens,  should  neither  be  allowed  to 
write  songs  nor  sermons  for  the  public  mind.  They 
may  engage  in  such  exercise  for  their  own  amuse- 
ment and  profit,  as  in  that  case  they  will  hurt 
none  but  themselves ;  but  to  strike  the  public  mind 
with  the  horrid  forms  in  which  their  distempered 
imaginations  see  God,  and  his  plans  of  grace  and 
providence,  is  what,  if  tolerated,  should  not,  to  say 
the  least,  be  encouraged.  Filled  with  such  terrific 
images  of  wrath,  it  was  no  wonder  that  even  the 
strong,  educated  mind  of  the  subject  of  our  sketch 
should  sink  into  despair. 

That  dreadful  crisis  he  reached,  and  away  in  the 
deep,  awful  silence  of  the  forest,  with  his  rifle 
loaded,  and  his  foot  raised  to  bring  down  the  ham- 


"THE   OLD  CHIEF." 


309 


mer,  lie  meditated  the  frightful  deed.  Like  many 
others,  who  have  "fled  to  ills  they  know  not  of," 
rather  than  bear  their  present  agony,  he  would 
have  "passed  the  bourn  from  whence  no  traveler 
returns,"  but  for  some  mysterious,  unaccountable 
change  of  mind,  which,  like  a  flash  from  out  a  deep- 
pervading  gloom,  startled  his  soul,  and  he  instantly 
fired  off  his  rifle  and  returned  to  his  camp.  He 
was  saved — saved  from  a  melancholy  death — saved 
to  a  long  life  of  usefulness,  for  it  was  not  many  days 
until  the  peace  and  joy  of  heaven  broke  into  his 
soul,  like  the  light  of  morning,  carrying  the  most  clear 
and  convincing  demonstration,  that  God  was  love. 

It  was  a  wonderful  conversion,  and  most  wonderful 
were  its  results.  Without  waiting  for  Presbytery  or 
Conference  to  give  him  a  commission  to  preach  the 
Gospel,  he  started  out  under  an  impulse  he  had  never 
felt  before,  and  from  cabin  to  cabin,  far  and  near,  he 
told  the  wondering  neighbors  what  God  had  done  for 
his  soul. 

It  was  only  occasionally  that  some  wandering 
preacher  would  visit  the  neighborhood,  and  hold 
forth  the  word  of  life  in  the  cabins  of  the  settler. 
He,  as  if  providentially  raised  up  for  that  very  pur- 
pose, from  among  his  backwoods  brethren,  called 
together  the  neighborhood,  and  with  a  heaven-born 
zeal,  and  native  eloquence,  such  as  no  arts  of  oratory 
can  give,  poured  out  his  soul  in  exhortation.    In  a 


310 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


short  time,  many  were  converted  through  his  instru- 
mentality, and  a  Church  was  organized  upon  the 
apostolic  plan.  Had  those  backwoodsmen  waited 
until  a  congregation  had  assembled  of  their  own 
accord,  and  in  deliberate  session  called  a  pastor  to 
feed  them  with  the  bread  of  life,  that  large  and  des- 
titute neighborhood  would  have  remained  to  this 
day  unsupplied.  God  called  the  preacher,  and  the 
preacher  called  the  people,  not  they  him,  and  through 
his  labors,  "  the  wilderness  and  solitary  places  were 
made  to  blossom  like  the  rose." 

Though  we  speak  thus,  we  do  not  object  to  Church 
order  in  regard  to  the  call  and  qualifications  of  the 
ministry  by  any  means ;  but  here  were  extraordinary 
circumstances,  and  extraordinary  means  were  neces- 
sary to  meet  them,  and  the  will  of  the  Great  Father 
can  as  readily  be  indicated  by  them,  as  the  putting 
forth  of  the  leaves  of  the  forest  indicate  the  approach 
of  summer.  As,  in  the  order  of  God,  his  labors  were 
recognized  by  the  Church,  he  was  soon  invested 
with  her  authority  to  do  the  work  of  an  evangelist. 
No  longer  as  a  hunter,  with  knife,  and  tomahawk,  and 
rifle,  chasing  the  deer  or  treeing  the  bear,  but  as  a 
backwoods  preacher,  he  might  be  seen  blazing  a 
path  to  distant  settlements  to  preach  the  everlasting 
Gospel,  and  gather  the  wanderers  into  the  fold. 
Though  his  fare  was  even  harder,  and  his  labors  more 
toilsome  and  abundant  than  they  had  been,  yet, 


"THE  OLD  CHIEF." 


811 


without  fee  or  reward  from  man,  he  urged  his  way 
through  dense  forests,  tangled  thickets,  over  hill  and 
dale,  and  rapid  river,  taking  circuits  of  a  thousand 
miles  to  preach  to  his  fellow-men. 

On  one  of  his  excursions,  he  came  to  a  point  on 
the  Tuscarawas  River,  where  the  Christian  Indians 
had  formerly  established  a  settlement.  Among  these 
Indians,  years  before,  the  Moravians  had  organized  a 
mission  Church.  They  had  become  Christianized, 
and  thus  were  civilized,  as  Christianity  can  only  be- 
come the  civilizer  of  barbarous  nations.  Every  other 
policy  has  failed,  and,  indeed,  must  fail.  Savages 
must  be  made  new  creatures,  by  the  transforming  in- 
fluence of  the  Gospel ;  grace  only  can  successfully 
control  and  guide  them  in  the  path  of  civilized  life. 
A  military  government  may  hold  them  in  check,  but 
that  very  restraint  will  only  serve  to  exasperate 
them,  as  the  chain  chafes  the  spirit  of  the  untamed 
tiger,  and  only  whets  his  appetite  for  blood.  Schools 
may  be  organized  among  them,  but  only  so  far  as 
they  partake  of  the  Christian  element,  will  they  be 
promotive  of  good.  These  Indians  had  laid  down 
the  tomahawk  and  scalping-knife,  and  only  at  par- 
ticular seasons  of  the  year  did  they  resort  to  hunting, 
and  then  not  to  depend  on  it  for  a  livelihood.  They 
had  turned  their  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  the 
soil,  and  had  built  them  towns,  in  which  the  Church 
and  mission  school  stood  side  by  side. 


812 


PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


Early  one  morning,  in  the  spring  of  1782,  a  com 
pany  of  militia,  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
Williamson,  encamped  on  the  river,  opposite  to 
Gnadenhutten,  one  of  the  Indian  towns.  The  in- 
habitants were  at  work  in  the  corn-fields  adjacent 
thereto,  with  the  exception  of  an  old  Indian  and 
a  squaw.  Sixteen  of  this  company  crossed  the  river, 
and,  entering  the  town,  basely  murdered  these  two 
unprotected  Indians.  They  then  went  into  the  corn- 
fields, and,  through  protestations  of  friendship,  and 
promises  of  protection,  and  holding  out  the  most 
flattering  inducements,  prevailed  upon  them  to  con- 
sent to  go  with  them  to  Fort  Pitt.  They  also  pre- 
vailed upon  them  to  send  a  deputation  to  Salem, 
another  Indian  town,  for  the  purpose  of  persuading 
their  brethren  to  go  with  them  to  a  place  where  they 
would  be  safe  from  the  attacks  of  hostile  Indians, 
and  have  everything  they  could  desire  to  make  them 
happy.  The  demon  arts  of  the  white  man  succeeded, 
and  it  was  not  long  until  a  deputation  was  sent,  and 
they  succeeded  in  inducing  their  brethren  to  join 
them;  and  soon,  all  things  having  been  got  in 
readiness,  they  started  to  join  their  brethren,  and 
the  kind,  white  friends  who  liad  promised  to  do  so 
much  for  them.  Poor,  unsuspecting  red  man ;  little 
did  you  think  that  your  wives  and  your  little  ones, 
in  leaving  your  peaceful  village,  were  going  into 
the  very  jaws  of  death !    They  had  not  been  gone 


THE  OLD  CHIEF." 


313 


long  before  Williamson  and  his  gang  of  desperadoes 
— for  they  had  now  all  crossed  the  river — gave  the 
unsuspecting  Indians  an  evidence  of  their  friend- 
ship, by  binding  them  all  hand  and  foot,  and  confin- 
ing them  in  two  houses,  the  males  in  one  and  the 
females  in  the  other.  On  the  arrival  of  the  Indians 
from  Salem,  for  they  were  alike  deceived  by  the  vil- 
lainous arts  of  the  white  men,  they  also  were  seized, 
and  bound,  and  thrust  into  prison  with  their  com- 
panions. And  now  comes  a  scene  of  horror  and  cold- 
blooded cruelty  which  is  enough  to  make  one  loathe 
his  race.  A  council  was  held,  and,  with  but  few  ex- 
ceptions, these  inhuman  soldiers  deliberately  resolved 
on  tomahawking  every  man,  woman,  and  child  of  the 
one  hundred  prisoners  that  had  been  decoyed  into 
their  power.  We  talk  of  savage  barbarity,  and  teach 
our  children  to  look  upon  the  painted  savage  as 
bloodthirsty  and  cruel ;  but  the  scene  we  are  about 
to  describe,  for  base,  craven-hearted  enormity  and 
inhumanity,  is  almost  without  a  parallel  in  all  the 
annals  of  crime. 

No  sooner  had  they  arrived,  than  their  sworn 
protectors  rushed  upon  them,  and,  seizing  *  them 
with  the  rest,  with  savage  cruelty,  converted  their 
homes  and  altars  into  dungeons  and  stakes.  The 
fearful  apprehension  of  their  fate  came  upon  them ; 
and,  like  Christians,  they  submitted  with  resignation. 
That  gloomy  night  was  spent  in  prayer  and  praise  to 


814 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


God;  and  when  the  morning  sun  flashed  its  first 
beams  on  wood  and  river  they  were  led  out,  one  by 
one,  to  execution.  Every  one  of  that  helpless  and 
innocent  band,  some  of  whom  had  been  members  of 
the  pious  Brainard's  flock,  and  had  listened  to  the 
eloquence  of  the  meek  and  devoted  Zinzendorff — 
fathers,  mothers,  brothers,  sisters,  husbands,  wives, 
and  prattling,  unconscious  children — were  led  out 
separately  to  the  block;  and  the  tomahawk  of  the 
white  man  did  its  work  of  death.  God  truly  is  mer- 
ciful, or  the  red  bolts  of  his  avenging  wrath  would 
have  descended  upon  that  murderous  and  cowardly 
band.  But  the  work  of  death  was  done ;  nor  prayers 
nor  tears  could  move  the  savage  hearts  of  Williamson 
and  his  men.  The  lifeless  bodies  were  thrown  into 
the  houses,  the  torch  applied,  and  soon  the  homes  of 
the  Indians  became  their  graves. 

Talk  about  merciless  savages  and  their  revengeful 
disposition!  When  we  consider  the  depredations 
and  cruelties  of  the  Christian  white  man,  we  wonder 
that  there  is  a  peaceful  or  a  Christian  Indian  in  all 
the  vast  territory,  where  they  are  permitted,  by  the 
merest  sufferance,  to  find  a  home.  What  would  we 
think  if  a  nation  mightier  than  we,  intellectually  as 
well  as  physically,  should  invade  our  country,  and 
kill  our  fathers,  and  mothers,  and  brothers,  and 
sisters,  and  drive  us  from  our  homes,  our  altars,  and 
the  graves  of  our  kindred?    Whatever  we  might 


"THE  OLD  CHIEF." 


815 


think,  it  would  take  centuries  of  better  dealing 
to  make  us  believe  that  their  religion  was  anything 
else  than  that  which  we  could  receive.  Is  it  not  a 
thousand  wonders  that  any  Indian  has  been  converted 
to  Christianity? 

Alas!  we  spend  our  sympathies  on  the  poor  hea- 
then, in  their  wild  and  desert  homes,  and  pray  that 
their  "wilderness  and  solitary  places  may  be  made 
glad"  by  our  religion,  when  a  wilder  desert  and  a 
deeper  gloom  are  around  us.  There  is  a  frightful 
moral  wilderness  in  our  midst, 

uMore  dreary  than  the  deepest  shade 

Of  India's  tiger-haunted  wood, 
Or  "Western  forests  unsurvey'd, 

Where  crouching  panthers  lurk  for  blood." 

The  blood  of  those  one  hundred  Indians,  which  was 
shed  in  that  peaceful  village,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Tuscarawas,  has  left  a  stain  of  itself,  without  adding 
the  innumerable  catalogue  of  butcheries  which  have 
disgraced  the  annals  of  our  nation,  that  neither  sum- 
mer's rains  nor  winter's  snows  can  ever  wash  out 
of  the  earth.  It  cries  to  God  for  vengeance,  and,  as 
nations  are  judged  in  time,  the  day  of  recompense 
will  come.  It  may  be  postponed ;  the  fearful  retribu- 
tion may  not  come  in  this  generation  or  a  succeeding 
one,  for  the  cup  of  national  iniquity  may  not  yet  be 
sufficiently  full;  but  nothing  can  avert  it.   God  is  just, 


316 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


and  come  it  must.  On  the  side  of  the  oppressor 
there  may  be  a  power  which  may  shield  him  for  a 
time,  and  he  may  revel  in  conscious  security ;  but  a 
righteous  destiny  will  follow  him  through  all  the  hid- 
ings of  that  power,  and  track  him  to  his  fate.  In  an 
hour  when  he  least  looks  for  and  least  dreads  the 
approach  of  danger,  when,  perhaps,  like  the  guilty 
monarch  of  Babylon,  a  thousand  incense-burners  are 
gleaming  on  the  faces  of  the  joyous  throng,  a  light 
above  their  brightness,  and  in  whose  glare  every 
earthly  fire  shall  pale,  will  flash  out  his  doom.  Provi- 
dence may  give  this  nation  space  for  repentance  and 
restitution ;  but  if  the  harvest  of  its  merciful  visitation 
and  the  summer  of  its  grace  shall  pass  away  without 
the  one  and  the  other,  then,  though  territory  after 
territory  be  annexed,  island  after  island,  and  conti- 
nent after  continent,  and  it  can  boast  of  more  magni- 
ficent cities  and  a  wider  and  wealthier  domain  than 
ever  belonged  to  Assyria,  or  Egypt,  or  Babylonia,  or 
Greece,  or  Rome,  in  their  palmiest  days,  God  will 
blot  it  from  the  record  of  nations. 

But  we  must  return  to  the  dark  and  bloody  scene 
we  have  been  describing.  Nothing  was  to  be  seen 
when  our  young  missionary  visited  the  spot  but  the 
charred  and  blackened  ruins,  standing  as  a  grim  and 
ghastly  monument  of  the  inhuman  act.  Once  he  felt 
a  hatred  for  the  Indian  race,  and  thought  nothing  of 
the  sacrifice  of  their  lives ;  but  now  that  grace  had 


"THE  OLD  CHIEF." 


317 


changed  his  heart,  and  he  was  under  the  influence  of 
that  religion  which  teaches  that  "  he  who  hateth  his 
brother  is  a  murderer"  in  his  heart,  he  felt  his  whole 
nature  drawn  out  in  sympathy  for  the  poor  Indian. 
As  he  dropped  the  tear  of  affection  upon  the  ashes 
of  the  slain  where  he  stood,  his  manly  heart  formed  a 
deliberate  and  firm  resolve  that  he  would,  should 
Providence  open  his  way,  consecrate  his  life  to  the 
present  and  eternal  interests  of  that  outcast,  perse- 
cuted race  of  his  fellow-men.  He  saw  that  they 
were  rapidly  melting  away  before  the  approach  of  a 
civilization,  which  lacked  the  element  of  a  human- 
izing, peace-breathing  Christianity,  as  snow  at  the 
approach  of  the  sun,  and  what  was  done  must  be 
done  quickly.  He  had  read  the  wail  of  the  mountain 
chief,  which,  like  the  dying  notes  of  the  swan,  had 
a  melancholy  sweetness,  and  he  resolved  to  keep  an 
eye  upon  the  openings  of  Providence,  and  enter 
any  door  that  might  be  opened  for  the  relief  of  the 
poor  Indian. 

It  was  not  long  until  an  opportunity  was  afforded 
him  of  benefiting  one  of  that  race  for  which  his  spirit 
longed.  There  came,  on  one  occasion,  to  a  meeting 
where  he  preached,  an  Indian  woman,  leading  a  bright 
and  beautiful  little  boy.  She  was  habited  in  Indian 
costume,  but  the  simplicity  of  her  dress  only  revealed 
more  clearly  the  beauty  of  her  person.  Her  flowing 
tresses  fell  in  massy  ringlets  over  her  finely-molded 


818 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


neck  and  shoulders.  After  the  exercises  of  preach- 
ing were  over,  the  missionary  approached  her,  and 
addressed  her  on  the  subject  of  religion,  for  she  could 
speak  English.  She  was  interested  in  that  subject, 
for  it  was  to  hear  something  about  the  white  man's 
God  that  she  had  come.  This  child  of  the  forest  was 
not  long  in  finding  the  way  of  salvation,  and  when 
the  rich  tidings  of  a  Saviour's  love  touched  her  heart, 
her  dark,  lustrous  eye  was  kindled  with  an  unearthly 
radiance,  and  beamed  with  the  light  of  heaven. 
Soon  after  her  husband,  who  had  been  a  prisoner  in 
her  tribe,  was  converted,  and  was  made  a  partaker 
of  the  same  joy.  The  success  which  attended  his 
labors  in  this  particular  direction  were,  to  him,  doubly 
encouraging,  as  they  not  only  inspired  him  with 
strong  hopes  of  success  in  his  contemplated  mission, 
but  strengthened  his  purpose  to  devote  himself  en- 
tirely to  the  promotion  of  the  salvation  of  the  Indian 
race.  It  served  as  a  kind  of  first-fruits,  which  be- 
tokened not  only  the  nature,  but  the  extent  of  the 
harvest. 

The  pioneer  preacher  continued  in  his  itinerant 
labors,  pitching  his  cabin  on  the  different  fields 
assigned  him  by  the  Church,  and  with  his  buckskin 
pants,  and  a  blanket  for  an  overcoat,  often  going 
for  a  whole  day  without  food,  he  threaded  his  way 
through  the  wilderness,  hunting  up  the  cabins  of 
the  scattered  settlers,  and  preaching  to  them  the 


"THE   OLD  CHIEF." 


319 


Word  of  life.  His  circuits,  which  he  traveled  suc- 
cessively, extended  from  the  Ohio  River  to  the 
lakes,  and  from  the  Pennsylvania  line  to  the  dis- 
tant plains  of  Indiana. 

At  length  the  period  arrived,  when  the  way  was 
opened  for  entering  upon  a  mission  among  the  In- 
dians. Years  before,  the  Gospel  had  been  received 
among  the  Wyandots,  a  brave,  and  once  powerful 
nation,  occupying  a  reservation  bordering  upon 
Lake  Erie,  where  were  located  the  Indian  towns 
of  Upper  Sandusky,  Big  Spring,  and  Tawawa.  He 
had  the  Wyandot  mission  embraced  in  his  field  of 
labor,  which  extended  from  Southern  Ohio  to  the 
shores  of  Lake  St.  Clair. 

It  was  late  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  when  he  left 
the  white  settlements  to  attend  a  meeting  which 
had  been  appointed  at  the  Maumee  Rapids.  A 
deep,  dense  wilderness  stretched  away  before  him, 
and  between  him  and  his  destination  lay  the  Black 
Swamp,  which,  on  account  of  the  autumnal  rains 
that  had  set  in,  would  be  rendered  more  difficult 
to  cross.  A  journey  was  before  him  more  difficult 
and  hazardous  by  far  than  a  trip,  at  the  present 
day,  across  the  ocean  in  winter  storms.  He  had  no 
companion,  and  left  to  his  thoughts  and  feelings,  he 
picked  out  his  way  as  best  he  could  through  the 
wilderness.  Two  nights  he  camped  out,  or,  in  other 
words,  made  a  pillow  of  his  saddle  at  the  root  of 


320 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


some  tree,  with  the  branches  for  a  covering.  He  at 
length  reached  the  rapids,  and  there,  in  the  midst  of 
a  dense  wilderness,  stretching  all  around  him,  from 
lake  to  river,  and  from  river  to  mountain,  he  preach- 
ed the  Gospel,  and  administered  the  first  holy  sacra- 
ment ever  celebrated  by  a  Protestant  in  those  wilds. 
From  thence  he  went  to  the  Wyandot  reservation, 
and  at  Big  Spring  he  opened  up  his  mission  to  the 
red  men  of  the  forest,  multitudes  of  whom  had  come 
together  to  listen  to  the  white  man's  preacher,  and 
hear  about  the  white  man's  God.  After  making 
arrangements  for  future  operations  among  them,  he 
returned  through  the  wilderness  home  again. 

When  the  time  arrived  for  him  to  start  out  for  his 
final  residence  among  the  Indians,  he  collected 
together  the  necessary  materials  for  housekeeping 
and  farming.  The  mission  company  consisted  of 
himself  and  wife,  two  young  women,  and  two  young 
men,  whom  he  had  hired  to  assist  him  in  farming. 
One  of  these  young  ladies  started  out  as  a  teacher  for 
the  mission.  She  had  been  tenderly  raised,  and  was 
well  educated,  having  enjoyed  advantages,  in  both 
these  respects,  above  backwoods  girls  in  general. 
Yet  she  had  conceived  an  ardent  desire  to  engage  in 
the  missionary  work,  and  bear  to  the  young,  benight- 
ed children  of  the  forest,  the  blessings  of  that  educa- 
tion and  religion  with  which  she  had  been  so  highly 
favored. 


"THE   OLD  CHIEF." 


321 


Eight  days  of  weary  travel  passed  away  before 
they  reached  the  Indian  nation,  and  the  only  prep- 
aration made  for  their  reception  was  a  newly  raised 
cabin,  without  chinking  or  daubing,  with  neither 
floor,  chimney,  window,  nor  door.  To  any  other  but 
a  pioneer  preacher,  this  would  have  been  discourag- 
ing indeed ;  and  we  imagine  it  would  take  a  louder 
call  than  the  inducements  offered  to  the  hardy  pio- 
neer, to  move  upon  the  most  zealous,  even  of  those 
who  offer  themselves  as  missionaries  of  the  present 
day,  to  urge  them  out  into  the  field.  Then,  there 
were  no  missionary  societies,  with  thousands  in  their 
coffers,  to  back  the  missionaries  in  their  work  and 
labor  of  love  for  the  perishing.  Literally  without 
scrip,  without  purse,  with  nothing  but  the  prospect 
of  hard  service  and  poor  fare,  but  in  the  end  a 
victor's  wreath,  or,  perhaps,  a  martyr's  crown,  they 
started  out ;  sometimes,  like  Abraham,  not  knowing 
whither  they  went,  but  always  with  the  definite 
object  of  bearing  the  glad  tidings  to  the  poor  and 
destitute  wanderers.  But  our  missionary  was  not  to 
be  discouraged  by  such  unpromising  appearances. 
He  had,  as  we  have  already  seen,  a  brawny  arm  and 
a  Herculean  frame.  Soon  the  cabin  was  made  ten- 
antable,  and  employing  a  white  man,  with  his  own 
forces  he  went  into  the  woods  for  the  purpose  of 
felling  timber,  for  the  erection  of  a  mission-house. 

He  did  not  go  among  the  Indians  to  receive  of 

20 


32^ 


PIONEERS    OF    THE  WEST. 


their  labor  and  temporal  things,  but  to  labor  for 
them,  and  make  them  the  sole  beneficiaries  of  his 
toils.  He  had  no  idea  of  making  them  "hewers 
of  wood  and  drawers  of  water,"  to  be  borne  on  their 
shoulders  in  palankeens,  and  receive  of  their  choicest 
furs  and  products  of  the  chase.  Not  he.  He  went 
there  for  the  high  and  glorious  purpose  of  teaching 
them  the  doctrine  of  a  pure  benevolence,  in  imitation 
of  the  sacrifices  which  the  Divine  Lord  himself  had 
made;  and  to  set  them  an  example  of  industry  and 
thrift,  which  they  needed,  if  not  equally,  yet  as  cer- 
tainly as  they  required  the  Gospel.  Such  examples 
will  do  more  toward  Christianizing  and  civilizing  the 
heathen,  than  all  the  prayers,  and  psalms,  and  ser- 
mons, of  all  the  troops  of  divinity-trained  preachers 
that  ever  started  from  Oxford,  Princeton,  New 
Haven,  or  Newberry.  While  we  would  not  decry 
education,  believing  that  a  minister  of  the  Gospel 
should  have,  as  far  as  possible,  a  thorough  literary 
and  theological  training  to  fit  him  for  his  high  and 
holy  vocation,  we  are  well  assured  that  a  knowledge 
of  the  society  among  whom  he  labors,  and  their 
habits  and  arts,  with  an  adaptation  thereto,  will  give 
him  a  greater  access  to  the  people,  by  identifying 
him  with  their  every-day  life,  than  all  the  perform- 
ances of  the  closet,  the  study,  or  the  pulpit.  "What 
are  our  missionaries  doing  in  China?  While  they  are 
poring  over  the  grammars  and  lexicons  of  the  court 


44  THE   OLD  CHIEF." 


323 


language  of  the  Celestial  Empire,  and  quarreling  over 
the  translation  of  the  Scriptures,  instead  of  learning 
the  popular  language  by  mixing  with  the  masses,  and 
becoming  identified  with  their  interests,  the  millions 
are  perishing.  But  our  thoughts  have  led  our  pen 
astray,  and  we  shall  come  back  from  our  wandering; 
remarking,  as  we  return,  that  it  would  be  well,  per- 
haps, for  the  Church  to  look  a  little  into  this  matter; 
and  by  "the  Church"  we  mean,  of  course,  the  entire 
Church  of  Christ,  but  more  especially  those  portions 
engaged  in  the  work  of  missions. 

The  Indian  missionary  and  his  own  hired  hands 
went  vigorously  to  work,  felling  the  timber,  and  cut- 
ting it  into  saw-logs.  At  night  they  would  haul  them 
to  a  saw-mill  some  distance  off,  and  sit  up  all  night  to 
saw  them  into  such  kinds  of  lumber  as  they  wanted. 
"When  the  Indians  saw  their  missionary  at  work,  and 
the  blood  running  from  his  blistered  hands,  occasioned 
by  the  rough  treatment  to  wrhich  they  were  exposed 
in  the  woods,  no  wonder  they  exclaimed,  "Great  man, 
he  /"  in  their  astonishment.  They  had  never  seen  it 
before  on  this  wise.  Hunters,  and  trappers,  and  trad- 
ers, and  government  officers,  had  never  set  them  such 
an  example.  His  strength  in  shouldering  a  log,  his 
skill  in  shooting  with  the  rifle,  and  his  fleetness  in  the 
chase,  were  equally  remarkable,  and  kept  up,  in  the 
minds  of  these  children  of  the  forest,  a  continuous  ex- 
citement. 


324 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


At  length,  the  house  was  reared  and  finished,  and 
the  mission  family,  before  winter,  were  comfortably 
housed  in  their  new  home.  From  daylight  on  Mon- 
day morning  until  late  Saturday  night,  the  missionary 
wrought  with  his  hands,  but  when  the  Sabbath  came, 
that  sweet  day  of  rest,  which  God  has  provided  for 
man  and  beast,  he  would  assemble  his  brethren  of  the 
forest  to  hear  him  discourse  the  words  of  life.  We 
have  already  remarked  that  these  Indians  had  re- 
ceived the  Gospel.  But  few  of  them,  however,  had 
renounced  their  heathen  rites  and  ceremonies;  and 
about  all  that  had  been  gained,  with  few  exceptions, 
was  their  consent  to  place  themselves  under  the  care 
and  instructions  of  a  missionary. 

The  first  children  received  into  the  mission  school 
were  four  orphans,  presented  by  a  poor  Indian  moth- 
er. To  these  others  were  added  from  time  to  time,  and 
the  family  increased.  The  young  lady  who  had  volun- 
teered to  teach  the  Indian  children  was  unremitting 
in  her  labors,  and  proved  a  sister  of  mercy  to  the  poor, 
uncared-for  young  heathen.  They  became  much 
attached  to  her,  and  through  them,  an  influence  was 
exerted  upon  the  minds  of  the  parents  such  as  could 
have  been  accomplished  in  no  other  way.  We  have 
often  thought,  that  among  Christian  as  well  as  heathen 
nations,  a  mightier  influence  was  exerted  through 
the  instrumentality  of  schools,  than  even  the  preach- 
ing of  the  Gospel,  not  only  as  it  regards  its  effects 


"THE  OLD  CHIEF." 


325 


upon  the  minds  of  the  youth  directly,  in  molding 
their  character  and  securing  their  destiny,  but  in  its 
reflex  action  upon  the  minds  of  the  parents.  The 
self-sacrificing  devotion  of  this  young  female  mission- 
ary, connected  with  the  zeal  and  unflagging  devotion 
of  the  missionary  himself,  won  upon  the  hearts  of  the 
savages,  and  many  were  induced  to  renounce  their 
heathenism  for  the  white  man's  religion.  Such  were 
the  inroads  that  were  continually  being  made  upon 
the  rites  and  practices  of  the  Indian  religion  and 
worship  by  the  well-directed  efforts  of  the  missionary. 

As  might  be  expected,  opposition  arose,  and  the 
enemies  of  Christianity,  because  its  profession  re- 
quired all  to  abstain  from  the  use  of  intoxicating 
liquors,  and  the  sinful  customs  in  which  they  for- 
merly indulged,  would  sneeringly  point  at  a  Christian 
Indian,  and  say,  "He  sign  away  his  liberty;  he  slave 
to  white  man."  So  far  did  the  opposition  extend, 
that  the  head  chief  and  his  secretary  of  war  would 
hold  meetings  at  the  same  hour  on  the  Sabbath,  to 
prevent  the  Indians  from  attending  worship  at  the 
mission. 

Still  he  labored  on,  teaching  the  Indians,  both  by 
precept  and  example,  the  arts  of  civilization  and  the 
faith  and  duties  of  Christianity,  without  fee  or  reward, 
until  heathenism  began  to  yield,  and  the  leaven  of 
Christianity  began  to  work  and  spread.  It  was  not 
long  until  one  of  the  chiefs  embraced  religion,  thus 


326 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


exerting  a  wonderful  influence  upon  his  tribe;  and 
then  another  renounced  his  rites,  and  still  another, 
until,  from  a  mere  handful  of  converts,  the  number 
increased  to  hundreds.  These,  spreading  out  in  their 
hunts  and  councils  with  other  nations,  carried  with 
them  a  knowledge  of  the  white  man's  religion,  until 
the  influence  was  felt  far  and  wide.  The  Wyandots, 
with  their  allies,  the  Shawnees,  Delawares,  and 
others,  had  been  bitter  enemies  of  the  white  race, 
and  many  a  village  and  cabin  on  the  frontiers,  as  we 
have  seen,  had  felt  the  force  of  their  arms.  Less  en- 
mity could  not  have  been  expected  from  those  who 
understood  not  the  mild  and  peaceful  principles  of 
religion,  especially  when  their  hunting  ground  had 
been  invaded  and  many  of  their  bravest  slain.  But 
now  that  they  had  received  a  kind  and  benignant  Gos- 
pel, breathing  peace  and  good-will  to  all  mankind, 
the  tomahawk  and  scalping-knife  were  more  deeply 
and  effectually  buried  than  ever  before. 

The  name  and  person  of  the  missionary  became 
beloved  and  revered  throughout  the  nation,  and  it 
would  not  have  been  difficult  for  him,  such  was  the 
regard  for  him,  to  have  taken  advantage  of  their  sim- 
plicity and  attachment,  and  the  reverence  they  paid 
him,  to  secure  even  their  homage.  As  it  was, 
they  were  anxious  that  he  should  have  a  part  in  the 
government  of  the  nation.  He  did  not  leave  the 
abodes  of  civilized  and  Christian  life  for  a  heathen 


"THE   OLD  CHIEF." 


327 


land  with  any  view  whatever  of  deriving  temporal 
advantage.  He  sought  not  theirs,  but  them.  While 
he  was  preaching  and  praying,  his  heart  was  not 
upon  their  furs  and  rich  lands ;  but  his  whole  soul 
was  burdened,  and  went  out  in  strong  supplications 
to  the  Great  Father  for  their  salvation. 

He  continued  in  the  mission  for  a  period  of  five 
years.  In  the  mean  time  a  Church  was  built,  inclosed 
in  a  neat  fence,  around  which  was  a  rural  cemetery, 
also  inclosed,  an  engraving  of  which  the  reader  will 
find  at  the  beginning  of  this  chapter.  There  was 
also  a  large  mission  school-house  erected,  where  chil- 
dren of  both  sexes,  from  different  tribes,  were  edu- 
cated. In  this  Church  Indian  voices  joined,  in  tune- 
ful melody,  to  sing  the  praises  of  God,  in  their  own 
language.  What  Eliot  and  Brainard  did  for  the 
Indians  in  the  East,  our  missionary  and  his  associates 
were  accomplishing  for  the  Indians  in  the  West. 

As  we  have  before  intimated,  the  Wyandots  were 
anxious  to  have  the  missionary,  their  father,  as  they 
called  him,  adopted  into  the  nation  and  made  a  chief. 
To  their  many  and  urgent  solicitations  he  at  length 
consented.  A  chief  had  died,  and  they  wished  him 
to  take  the  place  of  the  departed.  Having  become 
Christian,  and  renounced,  to  a  very  great  extent,  their 
Indian  customs,  the  ceremony  of  adoption  and  pro- 
motion was  done  by  a  simple  vote.  The  name  given 
to  him  was  lie-wa-wa-way,  which  signifies,  in  the 


328 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


Indian  tongue,  strong  in  his  own  way.  This  was  an 
apt  and  appropriate  name,  and  shows  how  well  the 
Indians  studied  and  understood  human  character. 
Since  then  he  has  gone  by  the  name  of  the  66  Old 
Chief;"  and  those  who  know  him,  for  he  yet  lives, 
and  preaches  almost  with  the  sprightliness  and  power 
of  other  days,  will  not  fail  to  assent  to  the  appropriate- 
ness of  the  Indian  name.  Though  full  of  benevolence 
and  kindness,  with  a  heart  overflowing  with  sympa- 
thy for  others,  he  is  sternly  firm  in  his  adherence  to 
what,  in  his  conscience  and  judgment,  he  believes  to 
be  right.  At  the  same  time,  to  supply  the  place  of 
the  sister  of  another  chief  who  had  died,  his  wife  was 
adopted  and  made  a  queen  in  the  nation,  with  the 
name  of  Ya-ra-quas,  which  signifies,  mother  of  a 
large  family,  as,  at  that  time,  she  had  under  her  care, 
in  the  mission-school,  between  sixty  and  seventy  In- 
dian children. 

The  "  Old  Chief"  has  lived  to  see  the  West  grow 
up  from  infancy  to  giant  manhood ;  and  where,  when 
as  a  hunter  he  lighted  his  camp-fire,  or  as  a  pioneer 
preacher  he  pitched  his  cabin,  there  was  naught  but 
a  wilderness,  now  he  beholds  thriving  towns  and 
smiling  farms. 


THE  HERMIT. 


331 


CHAPTEE  XIII. 

THE  HERMIT. 


Toward  the  close  of  the  last  century  there  lived,  not 
far  from  the  mouth  of  Elk  River,  in  the  then  un- 
broken wilds  of  Western  Virginia,  an  old  hunter,  who, 
at  an  early  day,  with  his  companion,  a  man  of  similar 
habits,  had  started  out  in  advance  of  either  explora- 
tion or  settlement,  for  the  purpose  of  having  an 
unlimited  hunting  range  in  the  mountains,  with 
which  that  section  of  country  abounds.  This  region 
was  inhabited  by  nothing  but  wild  animals,  which 
existed  in  the  greatest  variety  and  plenty,  such  as 
wolves,  bears,  panthers,  deer,  elk,  and  every  kind  of 
wild  beast  peculiar  to  the  West.  Indeed,  the  country 
was  so  savagely  wild,  that  its  dark  mountains,  deep 
solitudes,  gloomy  dells,  and  wild,  dashing  rivers, 
roaming  and  foaming  through  the  gorges,  were 
looked  upon  with  dread,  even  by  the  Indians.  All 
the  enemies  our  adventurous  hunters  had  to  contend 
with  were  the  beasts  of  the  wilderness,  with  whom 
they  shared  undisputed  possession  for  many  years. 
In  proof  of  the  savageness  of  the  country  we  may 


332 


PIONEEKS  OF  THE  WEST. 


remark,  that  many  parts  of  it  remain  uninhabited 
and  unbroken  to  this  day,  and  the  primeval  forests 
stand  as  first  they  stood  when  they  came  from  the 
all-creating  Hand ;  the  flowers  bloom  in  their  wild, 
native  beauty,  as  first  they  bloomed ;  and  the  rivers 
flow  on  in  their  wonted  channels,  undiverted  by  the 
hand  of  man.  A  traveler  now,  after  the  lapse  of 
three  quarters  of  a  century,  might  travel  for  a  day 
through  continuous  forests,  and  not  find  a  single 
habitation,  nor  meet  a  single  human  being,  unless  it 
should  be  a  roving  hunter  who  might  chance  to  cross 
his  path,  in  hot  pursuit  of  game. 

We  heard  a  lecturer  in  one  of  our  Western  cities, 
a  few  years  ago,  gravely  state  from  the  pulpit  of  an 
orthodox  Church,  that  human  nature  was  pure  and 
undepraved  in  proportion  as  it  was  found  approxi- 
mating the  native  state.  The  idea  was  the  same  as 
that  advanced  by  a  certain  geologist,  that  ores  were 
but  the  rust  of  metals.  The  truth  of  the  assertion  in 
regard  to  native  purity  needs  considerable  qualifica- 
tion. If  the  lecturer  meant  by  it  that  man  in  his 
original  state  was  pure,  it  will  readily  be  admitted. 
When  God  created  him  he  was  pure  as  the  morning 
light,  the  lily  of  the  mountain,  or  the  spring  which 
gushes  out  fresh  and  free  at  its  base,  for  he  pro- 
nounced all  good;  but,  since  then,  "he  has  sought 
out  many  inventions,"  and  the  result  shows  a  won- 
derful deterioration  from  the  native  state.    Still  the 


THE  HERMIT. 


333 


remark  of  our  lecturer  is  worthy  of  some  consider- 
ation ;  and  it  is  susceptible  of  proof,  that  there  are 
more  vices  and  crimes  to  be  found  in  the  midst  of 
civilized,  enlightened,  and  Christianized  society,  than 
are  to  be  found,  or  even  known,  among  the  wild,  un- 
tutored children  of  nature.  Just  as  it  was  in  ancient 
times,  when  pollution  and  crime  reigned  in  Babylon, 
Nineveh,  and  Sodom,  purity  and  strength  were  alone 
to  be  found  in  the  wild  mountain  districts.  The 
sacred  record  assures  us  that  "the  dark  places  of  the 
earth  are  full  of  the  habitations  of  cruelty  ;"  but  how 
far  this  "  cruelty  "  which  abounds  is  exotic,  or  indig- 
enous in  its  character,  we  may  not  be  able  fully  to  de- 
termine. One  thing  we  do  know,  and  that  is,  that  the 
Indians  of  this  country,  before  they  were  visited  by 
the  Christian  white  man,  were  in  a  state  of  purity, 
peace,  and  happiness,  to  which  they  have  ever  since 
been  strangers ;  and  that  the  vices,  and  even  customs 
and  habits,  introduced  among  them  by  the  civilized 
and  enlightened,  have  done  more  to  degrade  and 
ruin  them,  than  any  agency  growing  out  of  their 
native  condition. 

But  we  intended  not  to  philosophize,  and  shall 
return  to  our  subject.  No  field  could  be  presented 
where  man  might  enjoy  a  wilder  Eden  of  delight  in 
communion  with  nature,  than  the  region  we  have 
been  describing  among  the  Elk  River  mountains. 
Though  man,  in  this  region,  was  not  as  wild  as  the 


334  PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


animals  which  roamed  through  its  forests,  he  was, 
nevertheless,  so  far  as  human  learning  is  concerned, 
quite  as  ignorant.  If  he  knew  there  was  a  God, 
whose  providence  extends  to  the  minutest  affairs  of 
life,  he  had  derived  that  knowledge  from  others  ;  for 
though  "the  heavens  declare  his  glory,  and  the 
"firmament  showeth  his  handiwork,"  though  the 
mountains,  and  vales,  and  trees,  and  flowers,  pro- 
claim the  hand  that  made  them  Divine,  and 

"  Every  rill  and  mighty  river 

Flows,  mingling  with  his  praise  forever," 

still  all  is  mystery  without  the  voice  of  revelation. 
Mysterious  truths  may  be  written  in  the  stars,  and 
the  beautiful  allusion  of  the  poet  may  be  true,  that 
"  the  wild  flowers  are  the  alphabet  of  angels,  whereby 
they  write  on  hills  and  fields  the  mystery  of  heaven," 
yet  all  is  mystery,  deep,  unsealed,  unfathomable  to 
the  child  of  nature  until  it  is  revealed. 

We  venture  to  affirm  that  at  this  day  there  are  men 
— white  men  and  women — in  the  wilds  of  Western 
Virginia,  and  especially  in  what  is  called  the  neutral 
ground  between  that  state  and  Kentucky,  who  not 
only  can  neither  read  nor  write,  but  who  have  no 
more  knowledge  of  the  nature  and  character  of  God 
and  the  scheme  of  Christianity,  than  an  inhabitant 
of  interior  Africa  or  India,  or  one  of  the  islands 
unvisited  by  a  missionary.    Many  incidents  illustra- 


THE  HERMIT. 


335 


tive  of  this  truth  have  come  to  our  knowledge,  and 
we  shall  relate  one. 

The.Jncident  which  we  are  about  to  give  did  not 
happen  in  the  wildest  district  of  country  of  which 
we  have  been  speaking,  but  further  on  toward  the 
borders  of  civilization,  and  not  many  miles  from  a 
post  route.  It  happened  several  years  ago,  and  the 
gentleman  who  related  it,  a  minister  of  the  Gospel, 
has  finished  the  errand  of  his  Master  and  gone  to 
his  rest.  He  was  one  of  those  pioneer  preachers 
who,  in  advance  of  civilization  almost,  had  gone  out 
into  the  wilderness  to  seek  for  the  lost.  He  was  one 
whom  no  labor  could  tire,  no  danger  intimidate,  and 
no  scene  disgust  in  the  service  of  his  Master,  as  he 
sought  out,  in  the  abodes  of  poverty,  wretchedness, 
and  vice,  his  fellow-creatures,  and  conveyed  to  them 
the  soul-saving  truths  of  the  Gospel. 

On  one  of  his  missionary  tours  through  the  mount- 
ains, after  traveling  a  whole  day  without  food, 
fatigued  and  hungry,  he  espied  smoke  curling  from 
a  cabin  by  the  side  of  his  mountain-path,  for 
there  were  no  roads  in  that  region,  and  it  is  said 
of  the  county-seat  of  that  county,  that  its  streets  had 
never  been  indented  by  a  wheeled  carriage  of  any 
description.  The  day  was  spent,  and  further  he 
could  not  go,  without  camping  out  all  night  in  the 
woods.  Riding  up,  he  alighted,  and,  hitching  his 
horse  to  a  limb  of  a  sapling  which  stood  near  the 


336 


PIONEERS   OF    THE  WEST. 


door,  he  entered  the  humble  abode.  He  found 
within  a  mother  with  her  children.  The  husband 
was  a  hunter,  and  was  out  with  his  dogs  and  gun 
in  quest  of  game.  Addressing  the  lady,  who  re- 
ceived him  with  a  frank,  honest  smile,  he  said, 
"  Good  woman,  can  I  get  something  for  myself  and 
horse  to  eat,  and  obtain  lodging  here  to-night  ?" 

"  Might  I  ask  you,  what  is  your  business  ?"  replied 
the  lady,  keenly  eyeing  him  from  head  to  foot. 

"  I  am  a  preacher,  madam ;  a  preacher  of  the  Gos- 
pel of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who  died 
to  save  lost  sinners." 

"  Goody  gracious !  is  he  dead  ?  I've  never  hearn 
tell  of  the  name,  but  Fm  sorry  he  is  dead.  I  told 
John  [alluding  to  her  husband]  that  all  our  neighbors 
might  die  and  we  would  not  know  it,  and  I've  been 
trying  to  git  him  to  take  the  papers  from  the  post- 
boy who  stops  here  every  four  weeks,  but  he  wont, 
because  its  too  costive.  But,"  she  continued,  "who's 
lost  ?  I  never  hear  tell  of  one  lost  but  I  think  of  my 
poor  father,  who  was  lost  in  the  mountains  and  was 
kilt  by  the  wolves."  Here  she  brushed  away  with 
her  tow  apron  a  tear,  and  a  truer,  brighter  one  never 
fell  from  mortal  eye.  "  Dear  me,"  she  added,  with 
a  face  suffused,  "  how  I  feel  for  the  lost.  Did 
what  d'ye  call  him  git  kilt  hunting  for  the  chil- 
dren ?" 

The  preacher  would  have  been  unable  to  main- 


THE  HERMIT. 


33T 


tain  his  gravity,  but  for  the  earnest,  childlike  sim- 
plicity of  this  woman,  and  he  replied,  "  It  was  not 
children  he  was  seeking,  but  sinners ;  lost  sinners, 
such  as  you  and  I." 

"  "Well,  I  never  hearn  tell  of  that  name  afore.  How 
long  has  Mister  Sinners  been  lost  ?" 

The  preacher  felt  at  a  loss  what  to  answer,  or  how 
to  instruct  this  child  of  nature,  and  involuntarily  said, 

"  Good  woman,  you  are  in  great  darkness." 

"  Yes,  I've  been  at  John,  ever  sence  our  cabin  was 
built,  to  cut  a  winder  in  the  eend  on  it ;  but  he's  so 
taken  with  his  hunt  he's  no  time  to  do  it." 

More  confused  than  ever,  the  teacher  of  religion 
again  exclaimed,  in  the  form  of  a  prayer,  but  with 
subdued  tone,  for  the  sympathies  of  his  noble  and 
generous  heart  were  moved,  "  O  Lord,  what  weak- 
ness is  here !" 

"  Weak,  did  you  say,  mister  ?  I  reckon  you'd  be 
vveak  if  you'd  been  dauncy  as  long  as  I've  been." 

Seeing  that  he  would  have  to  begin  to  instruct  her 
as  a  child  without  any  training,  he,  for  the  mean  time, 
abandoned  further  conversation  on  the  subject  of 
religion,  and  returned  to  himself  and  horse. 

"  Good  woman,  you  have  not  told  me  if  I  could 
stay  here  to-night." 

"  Well,  John's  not  at  home,  and  it's  night,  and  you're 
a  stranger,  I  s'pose,  in  these  woods  ;  you  might  git  lost 
like  Sinners  and  my  own  father,  and  I'd  be  sorry 


338 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


forever.  I  have  no  truck  for  your  horse  ;  John  never 
had  one.  I'll  gin  you  some  johnny  cake,  and  you 
may  sleep  on  my  bed,  and  the  children  and  me  will 
sleep  by  the  fire." 

The  simple  meal  was  prepared,  and  the  preacher 
sat  down  to  the  repast  with  a  thankful  heart,  con- 
versing with  the  mother  and  her  children  as  they 
were  able  to  bear. 

Before  the  hour  for  rest  had  come,  the  faithful 
preacher  had  opened  up  to  that  poor  woman's  mind, 
as  well  as  to  her  children's,  the  glad  tidings ;  and, 
without  a  single  shade  of  doubt,  she  heard  and 
believed  the  whole  story  of  the  cross,  and  was  at 
once  converted  and  made  happy  in  the  love  ot  God. 
Before  retiring,  John  came  home,  and  the  joy  of  his 
wife  at  seeing  him  was  greater  than  she  ever  before 
experienced,  as  the  religion  of  the  Saviour  had 
opened  up  in  her  hitherto  sealed  heart  fountains 
of  living  joy.  The  simple-hearted  hunter  also  soon 
believed  the  same  Gospel  story,  as  it  came  fresh 
from  his  converted  wife,  became  a  penitent,  and 
was  soon  a  pardoned  man.  They  both  joined  the 
Church,  and  their  house  was  ever  after  the  stopping- 
place  of  the  itinerant.  The  seed  sown  by  this  pioneer 
preacher  was  in  good  ground.  It  fell  not  among 
briers  and  thorns,  or  in  stony  places,  but  in  the  vir- 
gin soil  of  honest  hearts.  It  was  not  "  choked  by 
the  cares  of  the  world,  nor  the  deceitfulness  of 


THE  HERMIT. 


339 


riches."  It  sprang  up  quickly,  but  it  did  not  as 
quickly  wither  away,  for  it  brought  forth  thirty-six 
and  a  hundred-fold. 

But  again  we  have  wandered,  and  must  return  to 
our  two  hunters  on  Elk  River.  The  reader  must 
not  imagine  that  they  came  from  the  East  away 
beyond  the  Blue  Ridge  alone.  They  brought  their 
families  with  them  from  the  land  of  their  nativity. 
They  were  but  fairly  started  in  life.  One  of  the 
hunters,  whom  we  shall  designate  as  the  elder,  had 
two  sons,  fine  growing  boys,  inured  to  hardship  from 
their  birth ;  the  other  was  blessed  with  but  one  child, 
and  that  was  a  daughter. 

We  need  not  say  that  these  children  were  the 
idols  of  their  parents :  whose  children  are  not,  be 
the  parents  ever  so  humble  and  poor,  and  the  chil- 
dren ever  so  homely  and  ragged?  But  the  latter 
was  not  the  case.  The  boys  were  strong,  well- 
formed,  and  hearty,  with  cheeks  fat  and  ruddy  as 
the  blush  of  morning,  and  the  girl  goodly-fashioned, 
fair  as  the  wild  rose  of  the  mountain,  and  pure  as 
the  snow  that  mantles  its  summit  where  it  kisses 
the  sky.  The  hunters  had  selected  a  spot  which 
nature  seemed  to  have  formed  for  the  very  purpose 
whereon  to  erect  their  cabins.  It  was  formed  by  a 
notch  in  the  mountain,  having  a  southern  exposure, 
and  protected  from  the  winds  of  the  north  and  the 
west.    Here  they  were  constructed,  side  by  side* 

21 


340 


PIONEEKS   OF    THE  WEST. 


They  bad  brought  with  them  guns  and  plenty  of  am- 
munition, and  it  was  not  long  until  the  hunters, 
with  their  wives  and  children,  were  arrayed  in  well- 
dressed  buckskin  and  furs.  The  boys  were  already 
able  to  follow  their  fathers  in  their  mountain  hunts, 
and,  as  they  each  had  guns,  they  soon  became  skill- 
ful hunters  and  expert  marksmen.  The  daughter, 
who  was  about  the  age  of  the  younger  son,  between 
whom  and  his  brother  there  was  a  difference  of  two 
years,  remained  at  home  as  company  for  her  mother 
and  their  companion.  "We  need  not  say  that  these 
families  lived  in  peace,  without  envious  thoughts  or 
evil  surmisings.  Carrying  out  the  idea  of  the  Boston 
lecturer,  whom  we  mentioned,  they  were  too  far  re- 
moved from  refined  and  fashionable  society  for  that ; 
and  even  had  there  been  any  susceptibility  in  their 
nature,  which  might  have  made  them  assailable  to  the 
tempter,  the  occasion  was  wanting  to  call  it  out.  No 
new  dress  or  bonnet,  or  equipage,  or  splendid  party, 
where  one  might  be  taken  and  the  other  left,  could 
intrude  themselves  as  occasions  of  envy  and  ill-feeling 
in  this  Eden  of  the  wilderness.  They  were  constantly 
in  each  other's  society,  and  each  seemed  to  strive 
to  the  utmost  to  make  the  other  happy.  They  lived 
in  cabins  exactly  alike  on  the  same  sunny  side  of 
the  mountain,  wore  the  same  kind  and  fashion  of 
clothes,  and  partook  of  the  same  fare.  They  did 
not  grow  pale  in  the  gas  light,  amid  the  short  hours 


THE  HERMIT. 


841 


ot  the  night,  with  compressed  lungs  and  heated  air 
in  suffocating  rooms,  dancing  polkas,  or  go  into 
ecstasies,  for  the  sake  of  taste  and  genteel  breed- 
ing, over  the  performance  at  an  opera  or  theater. 
Ignorance  of  all  these  appendages  of  "genteel 
society,"  to  them  was  bliss,  and  where  it  was  it 
were  folly  and  madness  for  them  to  be  wise.  They 
were  happy,  and  no  feigned  smile  from  painted  face 
was  necessary  to  convince  any  of  the  fact  who  could 
look  into  their  Eden-home.  And  yet  the  rich,  the 
gay,  and  the  fashionable,  are  the  ones  that  people 
envy.  A  quaint  old  book,  which  is  coeval  with 
the  pyramids,  and  has  come  down  to  us,  preserved 
intact  like  those  gigantic  monuments  of  the  past, 
somewhere  says,  and  we  recollect  having  often  read 
it,  "Ye  call  the  proud  happy,  and  they  that  tempt 
God  are  set  up ;  they  have  all  that  heart  can  wish ; 
but  in  a  moment  how  are  they  consumed  with  ter- 
rors !  "When  thou  awakest,  O  Lord,  thou  wilt  despise 
their  image."    Vain  boast !  shallow  appearance ! 

Our  hunters  enjoyed  more  happiness,  in  pursuit 
of  the  wild  beasts  which  God  had  given  man  as  his 
inheritance,  and  in  the  pleasures  of  the  fireside,  than 
all  that  gold  ever  purchased.  Their  evenings  were 
spent  at  home,  not  yawning  over  the  last  perform- 
ance of  a  brain  that  brought  its  author  a  living%at 
the  expense  of  his  over-taxed  mind,  goaded  to  ex- 
citement as  the  slave  of  the  thousands  who  feed 


842 


PIONEEKS   OF  THE  WEST. 


upon  his  words,  but  in  less  doubtful  and  more 
healthful  amusements,  both  for  body  and  mind. 
Books  they  had  none,  not  even  Bibles ;  and  if  they 
had  possessed  them,  they  could  not  have  read  them ; 
but  the  exciting  chase,  the  perilous  adventure  and 
hair-breadth  escape,  supplied  them  with  stories  of 
real  life  and  happiness. 

Years  passed  on,  during  which  time  they  had 
cleared  a  small  farm  in  the  valley,  which  spread 
out  to  the  bank  of  the  river.  The  boys  had  both 
grown  up  to  manhood,  and  the  girl  to  pure  and 
blushing  womanhood.  During  all  this  time  nothing 
had  occurred  to  mar  the  happiness  of  the  families, 
or  cast  even  a  momentary  shadow  over  the  bright 
scene.  But  even  there,  in  that  far-off,  secluded 
Eden,  sorrow,  whose  teary  eye,  and  trembling  steps, 
and  faltering  voice  visit  alike  the  hut  and  the 
palace,  entered  that  peaceful  vale. 

At  the  close  of  a  bright  and  balmy  day  in  spring, 
all  nature  having  awakened  from  her  winter's  sleep 
and  put  on  her  most  beautiful  garments,  the  perfume 
of  which  filled  the  air  with  fragrance  and  the  heart 
with  joy,  all  was  gloom  and  sadness  in  the  hunter's 
home.  James,  their  youngest  son,  was  missing.  For 
a  day  and  a  night,  and  still  another  day,  he  had  been 
lost.  He  had  gone  out  hunting  with  the  party,  but 
they  separated,  as  it  was  necessary  they  should  in 
searching  game,  and  since  that  separation  no  tidings 


THE  HERMIT. 


343 


had  been  heard  from  him.  There  were  no  neighbors 
upon  whom  the  disconsolate  could  call  for  assistance, 
and  they  had  themselves  scoured  the  mountain  and 
valleys  for  miles  around.  The  hunter's  horn,  which 
rang  out  clear  its  reverberations  along  the  valleys 
and  among  the  hills,  might  have  been  heard  for 
many  miles.  Reader,  did  you  ever  hear  one  of  those 
horns  blown  by  the  strong  lungs  of  a  mountaineer  ? 
If  you  ever  did,  you  will  say,  with  us,  for  far-reaching 
sound  and  sweetness  of  tone,  they  cannot  be  excelled. 
It  is  many  a  long  year  since  we  heard  one ;  but  their 
sweet  and  plaintive  sound  still  lingers  in  our  memory 
like  a  pleasant  dream.  The  soul  of  the  hunter  father 
went  out  in  that  sound,  in  quest  of  his  idol  boy ;  and, 
as  it  grew  faint  and  more  faint  in  the  far  solitude,  till 
it  died  on  the  portals  of  heaven,  it  was  like  the  voice 
of  mercy,  whispering  to  the  sorrowing  heart  of  the 
mother,  "The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken 
away.  Stay  the  anguish  of  thy  heart,  for  though  thy 
son  is  gone,  he  is  not  lost;  the  separated  on  earth  shall 
meet  again  in  the  communings  of  that  better  world," 

"Where  no  farewell  words  are  spoken, 
And  no  separation  known." 

She  had  had  a  premonition.  She  read  it  in  the 
sad  face  of  her  son  as  he  gave  the  parting  word 
"good-by"  on  the  fatal  morning.  Now  that  he 
was  gone,  all  recollected  something  peculiar  in  the 


344 


PIONEERS    OF    THE  WEST. 


manner  and  actions  of  James  on  that  morning, 
which  would  have  been  forgotten  but  for  his  mysteri- 
ous disappearance.  There  was  one  in  that  little 
group  who  could  solve  that  dreadful  mystery.  She 
had  been  fortifying  herself,  and  struggling  with  a 
breaking  heart  in  hope  against  hope,  that  he  would 
repent  of  his  vow  and  return. 

We  have  already  said  that  two  days  and  a  night 
had  passed  in  fruitless  search,  and  the  weeping  ones 
had  gathered  together  in  the  cabin  of  the  father. 
The  mother,  overcome  with  grief,  had  fallen  upon  her 
couch,  and  was  wringing  her  hands  and  weeping  most 
piteously  for  the  lost.  "  O,"  said  she,  "  some  wolf, 
or  bear,  or  panther  has  devoured  him.  O,  if  I  could 
only  look  upon  his  face  again ;  if  I  only  knew  he  was 
alive." 

The  strong  men  were  bowed  in  agony,  with  their 
faces  buried  in  their  rough  but  honest  hands.  The 
wife  of  the  other  hunter  w^as,  in  sobs,  striving  to 
assuage  the  grief  of  the  bereaved  mother,  and  her 
daughter  stood  leaning  upon  the  shoulder  of  her  first 
and  only  love,  for  she  and  the  elder  brother  were  be- 
trothed. But  she  could  repress  her  feelings  no  longer; 
what  she  had  resolved  should  die  with  her  must  be 
revealed.  Staggering  to  the  couch,  whereon  the 
weeping  mother  lay,  uttering  her  cries  and  calling 
the  name  of  the  lost,  the  maiden  fell  upon  her  knees, 
and,  with  a  heart  bursting,  she  exclaimed,  "James  is 


THE  HERMIT. 


345 


not  dead!  He  told  me  he  loved  me,  and  asked  me 
to  be  his  wife.  I  told  him  I  loved  but  one,  and  that 
was  his  brother,  and  we  would  be  married.  He  then 
said,  '  I  will  never  see  your  face  again.'  It  was  early 
that  morning,  when  we  were  out  in  the  field  together. 
He  said  he  wanted  to  talk  to  me  alone.  Taking  my 
hand,  he  said, '  Farewell!  we'll  meet  no  more.  I  will 
go  to  the  great  river,  and  live  by  myself  forever.' " 

This  was  some  relief  to  the  mother,  and  proved  of 
comfort  to  all  to  know  that  he  was,  in  all  probability, 
living.  As  hope  is  ever  springing  in  the  human 
breast,  the  mother  rose,  and  said,  "I  know  James 
will  return  after  this  boyish  freak  is  ended." 

But  that  group  never  looked  upon  his  face  again. 
Many  a  spring  came,  and 

u  To  wood  and  waters  round, 
Brought  bloom  and  joy  again," 

and  was  succeeded  by  summer  and  winter,  and  re- 
turned again ;  but  with  it  came  not  the  lost,  nor  any 
tidings  of  him.  He  was  never  heard  of  by  any  of  the 
family  afterward.  The  stroke  was  too  great  for  the 
poor  girl,  and  she  often  bitterly  reproved  herself  for  not 
telling  her  mother  immediately  what  had  happened ; 
but  she  was  young,  timid,  and  inexperienced,  and 
knew  not  what  to  do  until  it  was  too  late.  Like  the 
mountain  flower,  whose  fit  representative  she  was, 
when  summer  ko4  passed  and  winter  came,  she 


346 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


drooped  ;  a  melancholy  came  over  her  spirit  that  the 
love  of  father,  mother,  and  affianced  one  could  not 
dispel,  and  ere  the  next  summer  had  come,  they  laid 
her  in  .  her  quiet  grave  in  the  valley.  As  pure  and 
noble  a  heart  as  ever  beat  in  an  earthly  casement 
ceased  its  throbbings,  and  was  at  rest  forever;  and 
she  who  was  loved  by  both  the  brothers  became  the 
wife  of  neither. 

James,  as  soon  as  he  got  out  of  sight  of  the  party, 
struck  directly  for  the  Ohio  River.  He  had  been  on 
the  banks  of  the  Kanawha,  and  knew  that  stream 
emptied  itself  into  the  "  Great  River,"  as  the  hunter 
named  it  who  told  them  of  it.  In  the  course 
of  several  days'  travel  he  reached  the  mouth  of  the 
Kanawha,  and  for  the  first  time  beheld  the  Ohio. 
At  the  mouth,  where  Point  Pleasant  now  stands,  was 
a  fort  and  several  buildings ;  but  he  had  connected 
with  his  vow  of  leaving  home  forever,  one  equally 
rash — that  he  would  pass  the  remainder  of  his  days  as 
a  hermit,  away  from  the  abodes  of  any  human  being. 
He  had  subsisted  thus  far  on  his  journey  by  his  gun, 
and  the  supply  which  he  took  from  home  on  the 
morning  of  his  departure. 

He  was  now  twenty-one  years  of  age;  a  well- 
formed,  handsome  man.  His  height  was  about  five 
feet  ten  inches,  with  a  frame  rather  slender,  but 
tough  and  elastic  as  hickory,  able  for  the  endurance 
of  any  fatigue  or  hardship.    His  dress,  as  we  have 


THE  HERMIT. 


347 


already  said,  was  entirely  composed  of  buckskin. 
The  cuffs,  and  collar,  and  fringe  of  his  coat  were 
made  of  fur,  taken  from  the  wild  cat.  His  coat  was 
fastened  around  him  by  a  belt,  in  which  he  carried 
his  knife.  His  feet  were  inclosed  in  nicely  wrought 
moccasins,  made  by  the  fair  hand  of  the  one  on 
whose  account  he  had  abandoned  home  forever, 
while  his  head  was  surmounted  by  a  coon-skin  cap, 
ornamented  with  the  tail  of  a  black  squirrel,  which 
curled  gracefully  down  the  side  of  his  face  like  the 
plume  of  a  knight. 

Finding  that  he  had  got  into  the  settlements,  he 
cast  his  eye  over  the  Ohio  side  of  the  river,  and  saw 
its  unbroken  wilderness  stretching  away  as  far  as  his 
vision  could  extend.  Finding  some  boys  at  play  on 
the  bank,  he  prevailed  upon  them  to  ferry  him  across 
the  river  in  a  canoe  which  was  tied  to  the  shore, 
which  they  did,  receiving  a  pair  of  buckskin  gloves, 
the  only  thing  as  a  compensation  he  had  to  give. 
He  was  again  out  of  sight  of  human  beings ;  and, 
with  a  bounding  step,  he  plunged  into  the  wilderness, 
taking  a  northwesterly  direction.  On  and  on  he 
traveled,  over  hill  and  dale,  craggy  precipices,  and 
deep  ravines,  and  tangled  thickets,  not  knowing 
whither  he  was  going,  nor  yet  caring,  so  that  he 
could  find  a  home  in  the  wild  wood,  far  from  the 
haunts  of  man.  The  iron  had  entered  his  soul ;  and, 
like  the  stricken  deer,  he  was  seeking  the  deepest 


348 


PIONEERS    OF   THE  WEST. 


Bolitude  to  die.  At  night  lie  would  kindle  a  fire,  and 
cook  his  wild  game  which  he  had  taken  ;  which  would 
not  only  answer  for  his  supper,  but  serve  as  a  supply 
for  the  next  day's  journey.  Occasionally  he  would 
cross  a  trail,  or  path.  At  other  times  he  would  find 
the  trees  blazed,  all  indicating  to  his  experienced 
eye  the  presence  of  man ;  and  no  sooner  did  his 
eye  fall  upon  them  than  he  started,  as  if  met  by  an 
apparition,  in  a  different  direction  from  which  they 
led. 

He  had  now  been  absent  from  home  a  week, 
having  notched  the  number  of  days  on  the  stock  of 
his  rifle.  Though  far  away,  his  heart  was  at  home ; 
but  a  cruel  fate  impelled  him  on,  and  on  he  wended 
his  solitary  way.  For  the  last  day  he  had  not  dis- 
covered any  traces  whatever  of  the  presence  of 
human  beings,  or  even  domestic  animals.  He  had 
reached  a  wild,  rocky  glen,  covered  by  giant  trees ; 
so  thickly  set  that  their  branches  interlocked,  and 
shut  out  the  light  of  the  sun.  Around  it  rose  up, 
almost  perpendicularly,  high  hills.  The  ground, 
where  not  occupied  by  the  trees,  was  covered  thickly 
with  plum  and  hazel  bushes.  Here  was  no  sign  of 
human  life ;  and  neither  foot-print  of  white  man  nor 
Indian  had  ever  before  been  made  in  that  deep, 
dark,  narrow  glen.  A  cave,  which  might  have  been 
the  den  of  a  wolf,  had  been  scooped  out  by  nature 
in  the  rocky  side  of  the  precipitous  acclivity,  on  the 


THE  HERMIT. 


349 


right  j  and  a  small  rivulet,  almost  lost  in  the  grass  and 
bushes,  which  grew  in  rank  luxuriance  upon  its  bor- 
der, meandered  through  the  ravine.  Here  our  wan- 
derer concluded — after  thoroughly  reconnoitering  the 
surrounding  country  for  many  miles,  to  be  certain  of 
solitude — to  take  up  his  abode.  After  arranging 
some  stones,  as  a  lire-place,  in  the  mouth  of  his  cave, 
and  gathering  some  wood,  he  kindled,  with  his  flint 
and  steel,  the  first  fire  ever  kindled  by  man  in  all 
that  region.  With  smooth  bark,  and  leaves,  and 
mountain  moss,  he  made  a  bed;  and  after  the  toils  of 
the  day  were  ended,  and  he  had  partaken  of  his 
evening  repast,  he  would  quietly  slumber  in  his  cave 
till  morning.  The  woods  were  full  of  game  ;  and  he 
had  collected  a  considerable  amount  of  furs  and 
skins,  which  he  must  dispose  of;  besides,  his  powder 
and  lead  were  nearly  exhausted,  and  he  must  obtain 
a  supply.  Where  to  go  to  find  them  he  knew  not. 
To  travel  back  to  Point  Pleasant,  if  he  could  even 
find  the  way,  was  rather  too  great  an  undertaking. 
Necessity  crowded  upon  him,  and  wrought  a  some- 
what different  state  of  feeling  in  his  mind.  Before, 
he  would  have  shunned  the  approach  of  a  white 
man  with  infinitely  greater  readiness  than  he  would 
that  of  a  panther  ;  but  now  he  would  gladly  meet  one 
for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  information  with  regard 
to  the  supply  of  his  pressing  wants. 

One  day,  as  he  sat  by  his  cave,  in  a  more  sad  and 


350 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


melancholy  mood  than  formerly — for  no  smile  had 
lighted  up  the  countenance  of  that  once  joyous  youth 
since,  with  a  burdened  heart,  he  left  his  father's 
house,  nor  was  he  ever  known  to  smile — one  day, 
just  as  the  sun  was  setting,  he  heard  voices  in  the 
distance.  From  the  direction  of  the  sound,  the  per- 
sons from  whom  it  proceeded  were  evidently  coming 
up  the  ravine.  At  first  he  felt  joyful,  the  first  ray  of 
sunshine  that  had  lighted  up  the  dark  surface  of  his 
heart  since  he  became  a  wanderer;  but  it  was  in- 
stantly expelled,  leaving  it  darker  than  ever,  at  the 
thought  that  his  cave  would  be  discovered,  and 
that  he  would  be  obliged  to  move  from  a  place  to 
which  he  had  become  attached.  Secreting  him- 
self in  his  cave,  his  fire  not  yet  having  been  kindled 
for  the  night,  he  waited  their  approach  in  breathless 
suspense. 

It  happened  to  be  a  surveying  party,  on  their  route 
from  Portsmouth  to  Chillicothe.  As  they  came  near, 
one  exclaimed: 

"We  have  got  to  the  Stony  Battery  and  Dividing 
Eidge,  just  half  way  from  Pee  Pee  to  home." 

"Can  we  reach  there  to-night?"  said  another  of  the 
company  to  the  man  who  had  made  the  first  remark 
heard  by  the  hermit. 

"Well,  I  reckon  not,  unless  we  push  on  faster  than 
we  have,  and  you  don't  stop  so  often  to  hunt  for 
curiosities." 


THE  HERMIT. 


851 


Just  then,  attracted  by  the  wildness  of  the  rocky- 
scenery,  he  was  about  to  step  aside,  in  the  direction 
of  the  cave,  but  the  last  remark  called  his  attention 
homeward,  and  he  resumed  his  journey. 

Seizing  his  gun  and  skins,  the  hermit  started  in 
pursuit;  and,  keeping  a  respectful  distance  behind, 
with  them  he  scaled  the  Dividing  Ridge,  following 
the  pioneers  toward  Chillicothe.  Before  they  had 
traveled  many  miles,  night  overtook  them ;  but  they 
had  resolved  on  reaching  home,  and  pressed  on 
through  the  darkness.  Hitherto,  the  hermit  was 
enabled  to  elude  detection  by  picking  his  way ;  but 
now  the  darkness  forbade  it,  and  he  feared  that  he 
might  accidentally  tread  on  a  dry  stick,  whose  crack 
would  betray  him  to  the  keen  and  practiced  ear  of 
these  frontier  men. 

Nothing  occurred  during  the  journey  to  expose  his 
proximity  to  the  travelers.  The  moon  had  risen,  and 
was  casting  her  silvery  light  on  the  fleecy  clouds 
which  were  drifting 

"Onward  like  beautiful  vessels  of  heaven, 
To  their  far-away  harbor  all  silently  driven, 
Bearing  on  in  their  bosom  the  children  of  light, 
Who've  escaped  from  this  dark  world  of  sorrow  and  night." ' 

At  length  the  weary  travelers  descended  the  hill 
which  rises  on  the  south  of  the  Scioto  valley,  about 
half  a  mile  from  the  river,  on  the  opposite  shore  of 


852 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


which  is  Chillicothe,  the  name  given  by  the  Indians 
to  the  town. 

But  here  a  difficulty  presents  itself  to  the  hermit : 
how  shall  he  cross  the  river  without  making  himself 
known  to  the  travelers?  Unwilling  to  do  this,  he 
halted,  and  allowed  them  to  proceed  and  cross  the 
river,  which  they  did,  after  some  considerable  diffi- 
culty in  getting  a  craft.  Concluding  to  wait  till 
morning,  he  laid  himself  down  at  the  root  of  a  tree, 
and  slept  until  sunrise.  Rising  refreshed,  he  went  to 
the  river,  and  for  a  coon-skin  obtained  a  passage  across. 

His  next  object  was  to  obtain  a  purchaser  for  his 
skins  and  furs,  which  he  was  enabled  to  do  in  the 
first  store  that  he  entered.  The  first  stores  which 
were  opened  in  the  West  depended  mostly  on  their 
trade  in  country  produce,  such  as  bees-wax,  ginseng, 
feathers,  eggs,  chickens,  turkeys,  skins  and  furs  of  all 
kinds,  hickory  brooms,  ax  handles,  country  sugar  and 
molasses,  hoop  poles  and  barrel  staves,  shingles  and 
hominy  blocks — in  fact,  everything  that  the  country 
produced;  and  would  give  in  exchange  for  it  gro- 
ceries, whisky,  powder,  shot  and  lead,  iron,  salt,  and 
dry  goods.  There  was  then  but  little  money,  and 
what  there  was  was  Owl  Creek,  "Wild  Cat,  Muskin- 
gum, and  Belmont,  which  proved  to  be  of  little 
value.  The  great  amount  of  business  transactions 
was  carried  on  in  trade.  Houses  and  lots  in  town, 
and  lands  in  the  country,  were  bought  and  sold  for 


THE  HERMIT. 


353 


horses,  cattle,  guns,  and  even  dogs  have  been  ex- 
changed for  valuable  considerations. 

The  hermit  was  taken  by  many  for  an  Indian;  so 
straight  and  well  formed,  and  dressed  so  much  like 
one,  with  a  face  bronzed  by  exposure,  he  only  wanted 
a  tomahawk  and  some  Indian  ornaments  to  make  the 
by-standers — and  there  were  always  plenty  of  that 
description  loafing  round  a  village  store  in  those  ear- 
ly days — believe  he  was  one.  Many  were  the  ques- 
tions asked  him  about  his  home,  and  the  "  craps  in  his 
neighborhood,"  to  all  of  which  he  was  silent.  After 
he  had  transacted  his  business,  selling  his  skins  and 
furs  at  the  price  put  upon  them  by  the  store-keeper, 
receiving  in  exchange  powder  and  lead,  and  a  small 
tea-kettle  and  tin  cup,  he  departed,  but  left  the  town 
in  an  entirely  different  direction  from  that  in  which 
he  had  entered  it,  intending,  after  he  had  got  out  of 
sight,  to  make  a  circuit  and  strike  the  path  by  which 
he  came,  for  home. 

There  followed  him  from  the  village  a  dog,  who, 
whether  he  had  lost  his  master,  or  had  been  attracted 
by  the  peculiar  appearance  of  the  man  of  the  woods, 
we  know  not.  Notwithstanding  he  stopped  several 
times  on  the  way,  and  attempted  to  drive  him  back, 
the  dog  would  crouch  down  at  his  feet,  and  refuse 
to  move  an  inch.  So  obstinately  did  he  persist  in 
following,  that  he  finally  gave  up  his  opposition 
to  his  company,  and,  beginning  to  feel  an  attach- 


354 


P10NEEKS   OF    THE  WEST. 


ment  for  the  animal,  he  at  length  patted  him  on  the 
head,  gave  him  a  piece  of  jerked  venison,  and  they 
continued  the  journey  as  friends,  never  to  be 
separated  until  death.  Toward  the  close  of  the 
day  he  arrived  at  his  cave,  and,  with  his  new-found 
acquaintance,  sought  rest  from  his  travels. 

He  remained  in  his  solitary  home  all  winter, 
when  he  was  not  out  hunting  for  game,  and  saw  no 
one  since  he  left  Chillicothe.  Early,  however,  in 
the  spring,  a  company  of  surveyors  were  sent  out 
to  locate  a  road  from  Chillicothe  to  Piketon,  a  dis- 
tance of  about  twenty  miles.  They  would  labor 
all  day,  surveying  the  most  practicable  route  and 
driving  their  stakes,  and  at  night  would  camp  out. 
On  one  occasion  he  was  surprised  by  a  party  of 
these  surveyors,  who  had  grown  scarce  of  provi- 
sions, and  had  gone  out  on  a  hunt.  One  of  the 
party  recognized  him  as  the  stranger  with  the  skins 
at  Chillicothe,  though  months  had  passed  since  he 
saw  him.  They  seemed  glad  at  falling  in  with 
him,  as  they  had  been  unsuccessful  in  procuring 
game ;  and,  knowing  that  he  was  a  practiced  hunter, 
besought  him  to  take  them  where  there  was  game, 
promising  to  reward  him  by  furnishing  him  with 
ammunition.  To  their  proposal  he  assented,  and 
after  traveling  a  few  miles  they  started  a  deer. 
Instantly  every  gun  was  fired,  so  anxious  was  the 
party,  but  without  effect,  as  the  deer  bounded  away. 


THE  HERMIT. 


355 


He  did  not,  however,  get  out  of  sight  before  the 
unerring  aim  of  the  elk  mountain  hunter  brought 
him  to  the  ground. 

"  There,  men,"  said  he,  "  is  your  game and 
with  that  he  bounded  away,  and  they  saw  him  no 
more. 

The  road  was  made;  and  as  the  hermit  had 
several  times  been  seen  in  that  locality  years  after- 
ward by  travelers  and  hunters,  it  was  generally 
believed  that  he  made  his  home  somewhere  near, 
or  on  the  Dividing  Ridge.  Having  found  out  the 
locality  of  Piketon,  a  village  situated  on  the  Scioto, 
the  location  of  which,  by  Simon  Kenton  and  his 
party  in  1795,  occasioned  the  unhappy  death  of 
Miller,  whose  bones  are  interred  beneath  the  bank 
which  bears  his  name,  he  went  to  that  place,  instead 
of  Chilli  cothe,  the  next  time  he  wished  to  barter 
his  skins  for  ammunition.  Here  he  was  equally  an 
object  of  wonder  and  astonishment,  both  from  the 
peculiarity  of  his  dress  and  the  wildness  of  his 
manners.  It  was  not  long  until  he  was  pretty  gen- 
erally known,  though  to  all  entreaties  about  his 
mysterious  mode  of  life  he  was  silent.  Many  were 
the  surmises  as  to  the  cause  of  his  abandoning  the 
society  of  his  species,  and  living  the  life  of  a  hermit ; 
but  it  was  not  until  toward  the  close  of  his  life  that 
the  secret  became  known.    His  cave  was  at  last 

found  by  a  hunter,  who  left  him  some  corn  bread, 

22 


356 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


and  it  was  afterward  frequently  visited.  He  had 
inhabited  it,  unmolested,  for  many  years,  and  none 
but  his  own  foot  had  crossed  the  threshold.  Much 
as  he  dreaded  the  invasion  of  his  fellow-man,  he 
had  become  too  much  attached  to  his  home  to 
leave  it,  and,  besides,  he  was  growing  old,  and  he 
concluded  to  end  his  days  there.  In  the  mean  time, 
wild  and  broken  as  the  region  was,  other  settlers 
had  come  in  and  erected  their  cabins,  some  within 
a  few  miles  of  him. 

Years  passed,  and  in  the  progress  of  improve- 
ment a  canal,  leading  from  Ohillicothe  to  Ports- 
mouth, was  constructed,  which  passed  to  the  east 
of  him  not  many  miles.  It  was  finished,  and  other 
improvements  begun,  while  farms  were  opening  all 
around  him ;  still  he  clung  to  this  wild,  sequestered 
spot. 

One  day,  in  a  deserted  shanty  on  the  bank  of  the 
canal,  he  was  found  lying  sick  and  unattended, 
except  by  his  faithful  dog.  How  long  he  had  been 
there  none  knew.  All  who  had  seen  him,  or  heard 
of  him,  felt  an  interest  in  him;  and  when  it  was 
known  that  the  hermit  was  thus  exposed,  he  was 
visited  by  friends,  who  took  him  to  Waverly,  and 
procured  for  him  a  physician  and  nurse.  But  his 
sickness  was  unto  death,  his  wanderings  at  an  end. 
He  breathed  his  last,  and  was  buried  in  the  village 
graveyard. 


THE  HERMIT. 


357 


Some  years  after  his  death  a  turnpike  road  was 
laid  out  between  Chillicothe  and  Portsmouth,  and 
it  was  located  so  as  to  run  right  by  the  side  of  the 
hermit's  cave.  After  the  road  was  finished,  the 
bones  of  the  hermit  were  removed  to  the  cave,  its 
mouth  was  filled  up  with  heavy  masonry,  and  on 
the  surface  of  the  rock  above  a  monument  was 
erected.  And  now,  as  the  traveler  crosses  the 
Dividing  Ridge,  on  one  of  the  most  smooth,  beauti- 
ful, and  romantically-winding  Macadamized  roads 
we  ever  saw,  and  comes  in  sight,  as  he  descends 
toward  Pleasant  Yalley,  a  village  which  has  re- 
cently sprung  up,  he  will  see  on  his  left  a  plain 
obelisk  of  stone,  bearing  the  inscription, 

"  ERECTED  TO  THE  MEMORY  OF 


JAMES  HEWETT, 

THE  HERMIT." 


358 


PIONEERS  OF   THE  WEST. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

PIONEER  PANTHER  HUNTING. 

Of  all  the  wild  beasts  that  inhabit  the  "Western 
forests,  none  are  more  the  hunter's  dread  than  the 
panther.  Their  sly,  stealthy,  cat-like  tread,  scarcely 
making  a  rustle  among  dry  leaves,  their  frightful 
spring,  and  the  certainty  of  securing  their  victim  in 
their  long,  knife-like  claws,  has  assigned  to  them  a 
place  in  the  West,  similar  to  that  occupied  by  the 
lion  in  the  forests  of  Africa.  They  have  not,  to  be 
sure,  the  strength  of  the  bear,  nor  the  prowling 
nature  of  the  wolf,  but  what  they  lack  in  strength, 
they  make  up  in  quickness  of  motion,  and  terrific 
fierceness  of  attack.  While  the  bear  is  getting 
ready  for  a  hug,  the  panther  will  tear  his  victim  to 
pieces.  The  scream  of  the  panther,  like  the  rattle  of 
the  Western  serpent,  is  a  sound  that  never  fails  to 
create  a  tremor  in  the  nerves  of  the  bravest  back- 
woodsman, and  when  one  is  heard  in  a  settlement,  it 
creates  as  great  an  excitement  as  the  presence  of  a 
rabid  dog  would  among  the  inhabitants  of  a  village. 
They  attack  almost  all  kinds  of  beasts,  but  generally 


PIONEER  PANTHER   HUNTING.  359 

they  have  a  preference  for  the  deer,  elk,  and  buffalo. 
Large  as  the  latter  animal  is,  it  falls  a  victim  to  the 
panther's  deadly  spring.  When,  from  some  over- 
hanging cliff,  or  the  branches  of  some  tree,  it  springs 
upon  a  buffalo,  striking  its  claws  deep  into  the  flesh, 
there  is  no  escape ;  for  its  claws  are  so  sharp  and 
strong,  that  they  penetrate  the  bark  of  the  hardest 
tree,  enabling  them  to  ascend  with  the  fleetness  of 
a  cat.  The  affrighted  animal  may  plunge  through 
the  thicket  and  endeavor  to  shake  off  the  terrible 
foe,  but  all  is  of  no  avail ;  the  panther,  grappling  the 
neck,  soon  extracts  the  life-blood,  and  the  victim  falls. 
In  their  native  wildness  they  were  as  fearless  as  they 
were  ferocious,  until  the  deadly  hunter's  rifle  taught 
them  the  power  of  man.  They  will,  notwithstand- 
ing, when  they  are  confident  of  success,  attack  a 
man,  though  they  will  run  from  a  dog,  not  because 
they  fear  him — for  with  one  stroke  of  their  paw  they 
could  put  a  stop  to  his  chase  and  silence  his  barking 
forever — but  because  of  the  proximity  of  the  hunter 
with  his  rifle. 

An  incident  occurred  in  Western  Virginia  during 
the  last  half  century,  that  will  serve  to  illustrate  the 
nature  of  the  attacks  of  these  animals  on  defenseless 
man.  A  pioneer  preacher  had  left  the  rude  cabin 
of  his  host,  which  had  but  one  apartment,  and  was 
well  supplied  with  children,  whose  noise  interrupted 
his  studies,  and  had  sought  a  retired  place  in  the 


860 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


woods.  The  place  he  selected  was  beneath  the 
spreading  branches  of  a  majestic  oak.  Here  he 
placed  himself  in  a  recumbent  posture  with  his 
book  in  hand,  and  was  soon  lost  in  the  mazes  of 
thought  which  the  author's  ideas  opened  up  to  his 
mind.  While  indulging  in  these  abstractions,  his  at- 
tention was  diverted  from  his  book  by  the  crack  of  a 
dry  stick,  producing  a  sound  like  that  of  one  walking 
in  the  woods.  Turning  his  head  in  the  direction  of 
the  sound,  his  eyes  met  those  of  his  host  not  thirty 
yards  distant.  Instantly  the  hunter  gave  a  low,  quick, 
whist !  and  raising  his  rifle  in  the  direction  of  the 
branch  immediately  over  the  head  of  the  reclining 
preacher,  he  fired,  and  down  came,  cracking  through 
the  lower  branches,  a  huge  panther,  whom  the  hunter 
discovered  just  making  ready  to  spring  upon  the  un- 
conscious preacher. 

We  have  two  veritable  panther  stories,  related  by 
hunters  who  were  themselves  the  actors  in  the  scenes 
they  represent,  and  as  they  will  serve  to  illustrate 
pioneer  life  among  the  wild  beasts  of  the  West,  as 
well  as  what  we  have  given  in  other  chapters  is 
designed  to  illustrate  life  among  the  savages — both 
of  which  disputed  with  the  white  man  for  the  occu- 
pancy of  the  soil — they  will  be  given  to  the  reader. 

The  story  which  follows  was  taken  from  the  lips  of 
a  mountain  hunter,  and  runs  thus : 

The  settlement  on  the  mountain  here  is  very  scat- 


PIONEER  PANTHER  HUNTING. 


361 


tered,  and  there  are  no  inhabitants  for  a  considerable 
distance  back  from  the  road.  I  heard  that  a  person 
had  been  hunting,  and  said  that  he  had  seen  three 
panthers ;  upon  which  I  called  on  him,  and  he  told 
me  that,  at  a  certain  place  on  Spring  Brook,  about 
ten  miles  from  this,  he  had  come  across  three  pan- 
thers, and  had  tried  to  fire  at  them,  but  could  not  get 
his  gun  to  go  off.  I  thought  the  fellow  was  a  coward, 
that  only  part  of  his  story  was  true,  and  that  he  had 
been  afraid  to  fire  at  them ;  but  as  I  knew  exactly 
the  place  which  he  described,  (for  I  had  been  fre- 
quently there  on  hunting  excursions,)  I  thought  I 
would  go  and  see  whether  there  had  been  any  pan- 
thers there ;  so  I  started  off  next  morning  with  my 
dog.  You  know  what  a  terrible  thicket  of  laurel,  and 
spruce,  and  hemlock  there  is  about  here ;  well,  it  is 
as  bad  all  the  way  to  the  place  where  the  fellow  said 
he  saw  the  panthers.  At  last,  however,  I  got  to  it, 
and  sure  enough  the  panthers  had  been  there.  There 
was  a  little  snow  upon  the  ground,  and  I  found  where 
they  had  killed  a  deer,  and  eaten  part  of  it ;  but  I 
knew  that  after  I  had  been  at  the  place  they  would 
not  go  back  to  it  again ;  for  a  panther  will  never 
touch  his  game  a  second  time,  if  anything  else  has 
been  at  it.  I  marked  which  way  they  went,  as  it 
was  two  days  since  they  had  been  there;  and  as  I  did 
not  know  how  long  I  might  be  in  the  woods  in  chase 
of  them,  I  thought  it  would  be  best  to  go  home  and 


362 


PIONEERS    OF    THE  WEST. 


get  a  supply  of  provisions  for  a  good  long  hunt,  and 
then  take  a  fresh  start ;  but  as  it  was  almost  night, 
I  struck  a  fire,  and  laid  down  till  morning. 

As  soon  as  it  was  light,  I  started  off,  taking  my 
back  track  to  go  home,  and  got  about  half  way,  when, 
behold,  I  came  right  on  the  panthers'  tracks !  They 
had  crossed  the  path  I  had  made  in  the  snow  the  day 
before.  I  knew  they  had  crossed  in  the  daytime,  for 
it  had  been  warm,  and  the  snow  had  melted  a  little, 
and  I  could  easily  tell  that  they  had  crossed  my  path 
before  night.  I  started  on  the  track,  and  followed 
till  almost  evening,  when  I  saw  a  light  place  in  the 
woods,  and  going  into  it,  I  found  I  was  on  a  road 
about  three  miles  from  home.  I  then  concluded  it 
would  be  the  best  way  for  me  to  go  home  that  night, 
and  get  my  knapsack  of  provisions,  as  I  had  intended, 
for  I  did  not  know  but  the  varmints  might  keep 
me  running  after  them  a  whole  week ;  and  I  was 
determined,  if  I  once  started  them,  to  give  them  no 
time  to  rest  or  kill  game,  as  long  as  I  could  see  to 
follow  them,  let  them  go  where  they  would;  and 
sometimes  they  lead  one  an  awful  long  chase. 

So  home  I  went,  filled  my  knapsack  with  provi- 
sions, and  started  out  with  my  dog.    He  is  a  good  fel- 
low for  a  panther,  and  likes  hunting  as  well  as  I  do 
Well,  as  I  said,  as  soon  as  it  was  daylight  next  morn 
ing,  out  I  went,  and  got  on  the  track  again  where  I 
had  left  it  the  evening  before,  and  followed  it  all  day 


PIONEER   PANTHER  HUNTING.  363 

long,  up  one  valley  and  down  another,  over  hills  and 
through  laurel  swamps,  till  just  before  sunset,  when  I 
came  on  a  fine  buck  which  the  panthers  had  killed 
and  partly  eaten,  and  which  was  still  warm.  They  had 
killed  him  where  he  lay :  he  had  never  got  up.  He 
had  been  lying  behind  a  large  hemlock-tree,  which  was 
blown  down ;  and  it  appeared,  by  the  marks  in  the 
snow,  as  if  they  had  smelt  him,  crawled  up  close  to 
him,  jumped  over  the  tree,  and  seized  him  in  his  bed. 
They  always  take  their  game  by  surprise.  They 
never  make  more  than  two  or  three  jumps  after  it  : 
if  it  then  escapes,  they  turn  off  another  way.  They 
had  eaten  as  much  as  they  wished  of  the  buck,  and 
after  getting  their  fill,  they  appeared  to  have  been  in 
a  very  good  humor,  for  their  marks  showed  where 
they  had  played  about,  and  had  jumped  up  and 
down  all  the  small  trees  around.  They  did  not  know 
who  was  after  them.  I  had  not  expected  to  come  on 
them  so  soon,  and  had  pushed  ahead  without  any 
caution,  so  that  they  had  heard  my  approach ;  and  I 
soon  found,  by  the  appearance  of  things,  that  they 
must  have  started  away  just  as  I  came  up,  for  instead 
of  keeping  together  as  they  had  done  all  day  before, 
they  had  set  off  in  different  directions.  I  thought, 
as  it  was  sunset,  that  I  had  better  encamp  where  1 
was,  for  they  would  hardly  come  back  in  the  night  to 
claim  their  buck ;  but  first,  I  thought  I  would  look 
around  a  little  more,  to  see  which  track  it  would  be 


364 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


best  to  follow  in  the  morning,  and  so  just  went  a  lit* 
tie  way  into  the  swamp,  which  was  close  by  me, 
when,  only  think !  one  of  the  fierce  animals  had  been 
watching  all  the  time,  and  I  heard  him  start  within 
ten  rods  of  me  ;  but  the  laurel  was  so  thick  that  I 
could  not  see  him.  As  soon  as  he  started,  away 
went  the  dog  after  him,  full  yelp.  I  stood  still, 
and  there  was  a  glorious  threshing  among  the  laurels, 
when  all  at  once  I  heard  the  panther  take  up  a  tree. 
I  heard  his  nails  strike  the  bark  the  first  dash  he 
made.  It  was  a  beautiful  still  evening,  and  I  said  to 
myself,  I  have  one  of  you,  any  way ;  and  I  ran  as 
hard  as  I  could  through  the  thicket,  tumbling  over 
logs,  and  scrambling  through  the  laurels,  until  I  came 
to  where  Toby  was,  barking,  and  jumping,  and  shak- 
ing his  tail,  and  looking  mightily  tickled  at  having 
got  one  of  them  up  the  tree. 

I  soon  saw  the  panther  lying  at  his  full  length 
on  a  limb :  it  was  on  a  very  large  hemlock.  I  did 
not  know  well  what  to  do ;  for  it  was  now  so  late 
that  I  could  scarcely  see  the  foresight  of  my  rifle, 
and  I  could  not  see  the  notch  of  the  hindsight  at  all ; 
but,  as  I  knew  my  gun,  I  thought  I  had  better  ven- 
ture a  shot,  rather  than  keep  watch  at  the  tree  all 
night;  and  so  I  drew  up,  and  took  the  best  aim  I 
could,  and  fired  away.  The  tarnal  thing  never 
stirred,  but  I  said  to  myself,  I  am  sure  I  can't  have 
missed  you.    In  a  short  time  I  saw  a  motion  in  his 


PIONEER  PANTHER  HUNTING. 


365 


tail,  which  hung  over  the  limb  on  which  he  lay,  and 
directly  after,  I  could  hear  his  nails  gritting  on  the 
bark ;  and  I  saw  his  body  begin  to  slide  round  the 
limb,  till  at  last  he  slung  fairly  under  it,  suspended 
by  his  claws,  and  in  a  minute  after  he  let  go  his  hold, 
and  down  he  came,  cosouse !  so  nearly  dead,  that 
when  I  ran  to  keep  Toby  from  taking  hold  of  him 
(for  they  are  dreadful  to  light,  and  can  tear  a  dog  to 
pieces  in  no  time)  I  found  him  unable  to  stretch  out 
a  claw.  I  knew  that  I  could  find  the  place  again, 
and  so  I  just  let  him  lay  where  he  fell,  and  I  went 
back  to  the  buck,  and  made  a  good  fire,  and  lay 
down  there  till  morning.  But  first  I  cut  some  good 
slices  off  the  buck,  and  roasted  them  for  supper.  He 
was  a  fine  fat  fellow,  and  killed  as  nicely  as  a  butcher 
could  have  killed  him.  I  don't  like  to  eat  part  of  a 
deer  which  has  been  killed  by  the  wolves,  but  a 
panther  is  a  different  thing. 

The  next  morning  I  started  bright  and  early, 
and  I  soon  came  on  the  tracks  of  the  other  two  pan- 
thers. It  appeared  as  if  they  had  been  tracing  about 
separately,  and  had  kept  around  the  swamp  nearly 
all  night ;  but  at  last  they  got  together  and  started  off. 
As  soon  as  I  got  on  the  track  I  followed  it  briskly 
till  about  noon,  when  I  started  them  afresh,  and  let- 
ting out  Toby,  they,  and  he,  and  I,  all  ran  as  fast  as 
we  could ;  but  they  got  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  ahead 
of  me,  when  dash !  one  of  them  took  up  a  tree,  which  I 


366 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


soon  knew  by  the  manner  of  the  dog's  barking.  O, 
said  I,  I've  got  another  one !  "When  I  came  up  to 
the  dog,  there,  sure  enough,  was  a  panther  up  a  tree, 
shaking  his  tail  and  looking  just  like  a  cat  when  she 
is  about  to  jump  on  a  mouse ;  but,  says  I,  my  fine  fel- 
low, I'll  soon  put  a  stop  to  your  jumping.  So  I  ups 
with  my  rifle,  and  down  he  came,  as  dead  as  if  he 
had  never  been  alive.  I  skinned  him,  and  fast- 
ened his  skin  to  my  knapsack,  and  away  I  started 
after  the  other  one. 

The  last  fellow  did  not  like  to  travel  without  his 
companions.  I  suppose  he  wondered  what  had  be- 
come of  them.  He  kept  dodging  about,  first  one 
way,  then  another,  as  if  he  expected  them  to  come 
up  with  him ;  but  he  had  another  kind  of  companion 
hunting  for  him.  Well,  as  I  said,  after  I  skinned  the 
second  one,  I  started  after  the  third,  and  in  about  two 
hours  I  roused  him  from  behind  a  log,  and  Toby  and 
he  had  a  fine  run  for  about  ten  minutes.  I  stood 
still ;  for  I  thought  maybe  the  panther  would  take  a 
circuit  to  hunt  for  the  other  ones,  and  so  he  did ;  but 
the  dog  was  so  close  to  him  he  thought  it  best  to  tree, 
in  order,  I  suppose,  to  see  who,  and  how  many  were 
after  him.  As  soon  as  I  knew,  by  the  barking,  he 
had  treed,  away  I  ran,  and  soon  got  on  the  track.  I 
took  notice  of  it  on  a  leaning  tree,  which  I  ran  past 
to  the  dog,  who  was  about  ten  rods  further,  looking 
up  at  a  large  hemlock,  and  making  a  great  racket. 


PI  O  H  E  E  R   FARTHER   HUNTING.  367 

I  looked  up,  but  I  could  see  no  panther.  I  went  off 
a  little  where  I  could  see  every  limb ;  but  there  was 
no  panther  there.  Why,  said  I,  this  can  be  no  ghost, 
to  vanish  in  this  way ;  he  must  be  on  some  of  these 
trees ;  but  let  us  go  where  I  last  saw  the  track.  So  I 
went  back  to  the  leaning  tree,  where  I  had  last  seen 
the  track.  It  was  a  pretty  large  hemlock,  which  had 
fallen  against  another,  and,  looking  up,  there  I  saw 
the  fellow,  sure  enough,  crouching  right  in  the  crotch, 
where  the  leaning  tree  lay  across  the  other,  close 
down,  so  hidden  by  the  limbs  and  green  leaves  of 
the  hemlock  that  I  could  see  only  a  small  part  of  his 
body.  In  running  to  the  dog  I  had  gone  right  under 
him..  Although  I  could  see  but  little  of  him  from  the 
place  where  1  stood,  yet,  as  I  was  sure  that  what  I 
saw  was  his  shoulders,  I  did  not  wait  to  see  any  more 
of  him,  but  took  a  fair  sight  and  drew  my  trigger. 
"Well,  he  didn't  budge !  I  looked  at  him  for  some 
time,  but  he  didn't  stir.  I  was  sure  I  had  shot  him 
through ;  I  thought  it  a  pity  to  waste  any  more  lead 
on  him.  His  tail  hung  over  the  crotch  of  the  large 
tree,  and  there  was  a  smaller  tree  which  grew  up 
close  to  the  crotch,  and  I  thought  I  could  climb  up 
the  little  tree,  so  as  to  catch  his  tail,  and  see  whether 
he  was  dead  or  no ;  but  just  as  I  was  about  half  up  I 
saw  his  tail  begin  to  move,  and,  before  I  could  get  to 
the  ground,  his  head  and  foreparts  slid  over  the  crotch, 
and  down  he  came,  as  dead  as  a  door-nail.    So  I 


368 


PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


skinned  him,  and  went  back  to  the  one  I  killed  first, 
and  skinned  him,  and  got  home  that  night;  and 
sent  word  to  the  fellow  who  saw  them  by  the  Spring 
Brook,  that  if  he  would  come  to  me  I  would  show 
him  the  skins  of  his  three  panthers. 

The  next  is  from  a  pioneer  hunter  of  Kentucky, 
who  is  said  to  have  killed  the  last  buffalo  in  the 
cane-brakes  of  that  state,  and  who  for  years  sup- 
plied the  Covington  and  Cincinnati  markets  with 
bear  meat  and  venison.    His  story  is  told  as  follows : 

I  was  living  on  a  branch  of  Bigbone,  called 
Panther  Run,  from  the  circumstance  to  this  day.  It 
was  the  year  after  I  had  been  out  with  General 
"Wayne.  I  had  left  home  for  a  deer  hunt,  with 
rifle,  tomahawk,  and  butcher-knife  in  my  belt,  as 
customary,  and,  scouring  about  the  woods,  I  came 
to  a  thick  piece  of  brush ;  in  short,  a  perfect  thicket 
of  hoop-poles.  I  discovered  some  dreadful  growling 
and  scuffling  was  going  on  by  the  sound,  apparently 
within  a  hundred  yards  or  so.  I  crept  as  cautiously 
and  silently  as  possible  through  the  thicket,  and 
kept  on  until  I  found  myself  within,  perhaps,  twenty 
steps  of  two  very  large  male  panthers,  who  were 
making  a  desperate  fight,  screaming,  spitting,  and 
yelling  like  a  couple  of  ram  cats,  only  much  louder, 
as  you  may  guess.  At  last  one  of  them  seemed  to 
have  absolutely  killed  the  other,  for  he  lay  quite 
motionless.    This  was  what  I  had  been  waiting  for; 


PIONEER  PANTHER  HUNTING.  369 

and  while  the  other  was  swinging  backward  and  for- 
ward over  him  in  triumph,  I  blazed  away;  but, 
owing  to  his  singular  motion,  I  shot  him  through  the 
bulge  of  the  ribs,  a  little  too  far  back  to  kill  him 
instantly.  They  are  very  hard  to  kill.  But  he 
made  one  prodigious  bound  through  the  brush,  and 
cleared  himself  out  of  sight,  the  ground  where  we 
were  being  quite  broken,  as  well  as  sideling.  I 
then  walked  up  to  the  other,  mistrusting  nothing, 
and  was  within  a  yard  of  him,  when  he  made  one 
spring  to  his  feet,  and  fastened  on  my  left  shoulder 
with  his  teeth  and  claws,  where  he  inflicted  several 
deep  wounds.  I  was  uncommonly  active,  as  well 
as  stout,  in  those  days,  and  feared  neither  man  nor 
mortal  in  a  scuffle;  but  I  had  hard  work  to  keep 
my  feet  under  the  weight  of  such  a  beast.  I  had 
my  knife  out  in  an  instant,  and  put  it  into  him  as 
fast  as  possible  for  dear  life.  So  we  tussled  away, 
and  the  ground  being  sideling  and  steep  at  that, 
which  increased  my  trouble  to  keep  from  falling, 
we  gradually  worked  down  hill  till  I  was  forced 
against  a  large  log,  and  we  both  came  to  the 
ground,  I  inside  and  the  panther  outside  of  it,  he 
still  keeping  hold,  although  evidently  weakening 
under  the  repeated  digs  and  rips  he  was  getting. 
I  kept  on  knifing  away  till  I  found  his  hold  slack- 
ening, and  he  let  go  at  last,  to  my  great  rejoicing. 
I  got  to  my  feet,  made  for  my  rifle,  which  I  had 


370 


PIONEEKS   OF   THE  WEST. 


dropped  early  in  the  scuffle,  got  it,  and  ran  home. 
I  gathered  the  neighbors,  with  their  dogs,  and  on 
returning  found  the  panthers  not  more  than  fifteen 
rods  apart;  the  one  I  had  knifed  dying,  and  the 
one  I  had  shot  making  an  effort  to  climb  a  tree  to 
the  height  of  eight  or  ten  feet,  when  he  fell,  and 
was  speedily  dispatched.  Next  day  I  stripped  them 
of  their  skins,  which  I  sold  to  a  saddler  in  Lexing- 
ton for  two  dollars  apiece.  You  may  depend  I  never 
got  into  such  a  grip  again  with  a  panther. 


THE   SQUATTER  FAMILY. 


371 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE   SQUATTER  FAMILY. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  the  West  were  many 
who  moved  out  and  selected  sites  for  their  homes 
upon  any  unoccupied  land  they  might  find,  and, 
by  clearing  a  portion  of  it  and  building  a  cabin, 
they  obtained  a  preemption  right  to  the  soil,  or,  at 
least,  a  certain  portion  of  it,  and  in  possession  of 
which  they  have  been  protected  by  the  government, 
at  least  so  far  as  that  none  could  dispossess  them 
without  paying  an  equivalent  for  the  improvements ; 
and  even  then  they  had  a  prior  claim,  or  the  privilege 
of  purchasing,  at  government  price,  over  every  other 
purchaser.  Such  pioneers  have  been  denominated 
"  Squatters." 

In  an  early  day  a  man,  who  had  left  the  sterile 

soil  of  an  Eastern  state,  started  with  his  young 

and  rising  family  to  better  his  condition  in  the  rich 

and  fertile  valley  of  the  West.    He  was  a  poor,  but 

honest  man ;  had  straggled  hard  to  raise  his  family, 

and  by  patient  industry  was  enabled  to  obtain  an 

outfit  of  a  horse  and  cart  to  journey  to  the  West. 

23 


o72  PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 

Passing  through  what  was  then  a  wilderness,  he  at 
length  reached  a  spot  on  the  Illinois  River,  about  two 
hundred  miles  from  its  mouth,  where  he  pitched 
his  tent,  and  subsequently  erected  his  cabin.  His 
family  consisted  of  a  wife  and  three  children;  the 
eldest,  a  boy,  was  in  his  nineteenth  year,  the  next 
a  girl  in  her  eighteenth  year,  and  the  youngest  a 
boy  of  fourteen.  They  were  all  healthy  and  vig- 
orous, the  very  material  suited  for  the  hard  toil  and 
poor  fare  of  pioneer  life. 

One  day  there  came  to  the  squatter's  cabin  three 
Indians,  professing  to  be  friendly,  who  invited  him 
to  go  out  on  a  hunting  excursion  with  them.  As  the 
family  subsisted  mostly  upon  game,  he  finally  con- 
cluded to  accompany  them,  taking  with  him  his 
eldest  son.  They  expected  to  be  absent  about  a 
week,  as  they  intended  to  take  a  somewhat  exten- 
sive range.  After  three  days  had  passed  away,  one 
of  the  Indians  returned  to  the  squatter's  house,  and 
deliberately  lighting  his  pipe  and  taking  his  seat  by 
the  fire,  he  commenced  smoking  in  silence.  The 
wife  was  not  startled  at  his  appearance,  as  it  was 
frequently  the  case  that  one,  and  sometimes  more, 
of  a  party  of  Indian  hunters,  getting  discouraged, 
would  leave  the  rest  and  return.  This  was  usually 
the  case  when  they  imagined  they  discovered  some 
bad  sign,  and  it  would  not  only  be  useless,  but  dis- 
astrous, for  them  to  hunt  under  such  circumstances. 


THE    SQUATTER  FAMILY. 


373 


The  Indian  sat  for  some  time  in  sullen  silence, 
and  at  length,  removing  his  pipe  from  his  mouth,  he 
gave  a  significant  grunt  to  awaken  attention,  and 
said,  "White  man  die."  The  squatter's  wife  at  this 
replied, 

"What  is  the  matter?" 

"He  sick,  tree  fall  on  him,  he  die.  Tou  go  see 
him." 

Her  suspicions  being  somewhat  aroused  at  the 
manner  of  the  savage,  she  asked  him  a  number  of 
questions.  The  evasiveness  and  evident  want  of 
consistency  in  the  answers,  at  length  convinced  her 
that  something  was  wrong.  She  judged  it  best  not 
to  go  herself,  but  sent  her  youngest  son,  the  eldest, 
as  we  have  seen,  having  gone  on  the  hunt  with 
his  father.  Night  came,  but  it  brought  not  the  son 
or  the  Indian.  All  its  gloomy  hours  were  spent  in 
that  lone  cabin  by  the  mother  and  daughter;  but 
morning  came  without  their  return.  The  whole  day 
passed  in  the  same  fruitless  look-out  for  the  boy;  the 
mother  felt  grieved  that  she  had  sent  her  child  on  the 
errand,  but  it  was  now  too  late.  Her  suspicions  were 
now  confirmed  that  the  Indians  had  decoyed  aw^ay 
her  husband  and  sons.  She  felt  that  they  would  not 
stop  in  their  evil  designs,  and  that,  if  they  had  slain 
the  father  and  his  boys,  they  would  next  attack  the 
mother  and  her  daughter. 

No  time  was  to  be  lost;  and  she  and  her  daughter, 


374 


pioneers  of  the  west. 


as  night  was  approaching,  went  to  work  to  barri- 
cade the  door  and  windows  of  the  cabin  in  the  best 
manner  they  could.  The  rifle  of  the  youngest  boy 
was  all  the  weapon  in  the  house,  as  he  did  not  take 
it  when  he  went  to  seek  his  father.  This  was  taken 
from  its  hangings,  and  carefully  examined  to  see  that 
it  was  well  loaded  and  primed.  To  her  daughter  she 
gave  the  ax,  and  thus  armed,  they  determined  to 
watch  all  night,  and,  if  attacked  by  the  savages,  to 
fight  to  the  last. 

About  midnight  they  made  their  appearance,  ex 
pecting  to  find  the  mother  and  daughter  asleep,  but 
in  this  they  were  disappointed.    They  approached 
stealthily,  and  one  of  the  number  knocked  loudly  at 
the  door,  crying,  "Mother!  mother!" 

The  mother's  ear  was  too  acute  to  be  deceived  by 
the  wily  savage,  and  she  replied,  "  Where  are  the  In- 
dians, my  son?" 

The  answer,  "Urn  gone,"  would  have  satisfied  her, 
if  she  had  not  been  before  aware  of  the  deceit. 

"  Come  up,  my  son,  and  put  your  ear  to  the  latch- 
hole.  I  want  to  tell  you  something  before  I  open  the 
door." 

The  Indian  applied  his  ear  to  the  latch-hole.  The 
crack  of  the  rifle  followed,  and  he  fell  dead. 

As  soon  as  she  fired,  she  stepped  on  one  side  of  the 
door,  and  immediately  two  rifle  balls  passed  through 
it,  either  of  which  would  have  killed  her. 


THE  SQUATTER  FAMILY. 


375 


"Thank  God,"  said  the  mother  in  a  whisper  to  her 
daughter,  "there  are  but  two.  They  are  the  three 
that  went  to  hunt  with  your  father,  and  one  of  them 
is  dead.  If  we  can  only  kill  or  cripple  another,  we 
shall  be  safe.  Take  courage,  my  child;  God  will  not 
forsake  us  in  this  trying  hour.  We  must  both  be  still 
after  they  fire  again.  Supposing  they  have  killed  us, 
they  will  break  down  the  door.  I  may  be  able  to 
shoot  another  one,"  for  in  the  mean  time  she  had 
re-loaded  the  rifle;  "but  if  I  miss,  you  must  use  the 
ax  with  all  your  might." 

The  daughter,  equally  courageous  with  her  mother, 
assured  her  that  she  would  do  her  best. 

The  conversation  had  scarcely  ceased  when  two 
more  rifle  balls  came  crashing  through  the  window. 
A  death-like  stillness  ensued  for  the  space  of  several 
minutes,  when  two  more  balls,  in  quick  succession, 
came  through  the  door,  followed  by  tremendous 
strokes  against  it  with  a  heavy  stake.  At  length  the 
door  gave  way,  and  an  Indian,  with  a  fiendish  yell, 
was  in  the  act  of  springing  into  the  house ;  but  a 
ball  from  the  boy's  rifle,  in  the  mother's  hand, 
pierced  his  heart,  and  he  fell  dead  across  the  thresh- 
old. The  surviving  Indian,  daring  not  to  venture — 
and  it  was  well  for  his  skull  that  he  did  not — fired 
at  random,  and  ran  away. 

"Now,"  said  the  mother  to  the  daughter,  "we 
must  leave ;"  and  taking  the  rifle  and  the  ax,  they 


376 


PIONEEKS  OF  THE  WEST. 


hastened  to  the  river,  jumped  into  the  canoe,  and 
without  a  morsel  of  provision,  except  a  wild  duck, 
and  two  blackbirds  which  the  mother  shot  on  the 
voyage,  and  which  they  ate  raw,  they  paddled  their 
canoe  down  the  river  until  they  reached  the  residence 
of  the  French  settlers  at  St.  Louis. 

Some  time  after,  a  party  of  hunters  started  over 
into  Illinois,  and  scoured  the  country  in  every  direc- 
tion; but  they  returned  without  finding  either  the 
squatter  or  his  boys.  Nor  have  they  been  heard 
from  to  this  day.  Should  the  traveler  pass  by  the 
beautiful  city  of  Peoria,  in  his  Westward  wanderings, 
the  old  settlers  in  that  neighborhood  can  point  out  the 
spot  where  stood  the  cabin  of  the  squatter,  so  heroical- 
ly defended  by  his  wife  and  daughter,  and  who  so 
nobly  avenged  the  death  of  the  father  and  his  sons. 

The  pioneer  women  of  the  West,  like  the  men, 
were  made  of  sterner  stuff  than  enters  into  the  com- 
position of  most  of  our  modern  ladies  and  gentlemen. 
They  were  brave  in  entering  the  wilderness,  and  they 
showed  themselves  equally  so  in  grappling  with  its 
difficulties  and  encountering  its  perils.  Who  has 
not  heard  of  the  heroic  Miss  Elizabeth  Zane,  at  Fort 
Henry,  in  1777,  where  the  city  of  Wheeling  now 
stands  ?  When  a  large  army  of  savages  had  been 
collected,  under  the  infamous  Girty,  and  had  at- 
tacked the  fort,  having  killed  in  an  outside  skirmish 
several  officers  and  men,  a  fearful  crisis  had  arrived. 


THE   SQUATTER  FAMILY. 


377 


The  fort  was  reduced  to  but  eleven  men  and  boys. 
The  houses  of  the  villagers  were  occupied  by  the 
savage  foe,  who  for  the  moment  had  ceased  hos- 
tilities, and  had  withdrawn  to  the  base  of  the  hill, 
which  rose  abruptly  and  precipitously  from  the  nar- 
row valley.  The  ammunition  of  the  fort  was  nearly 
exhausted ;  and  the  stock  must  be  replenished,  or  all 
would  fall — men,  women,  and  children — a  prey  to  the 
merciless  savages.  About  sixty  yards  distant,  at  the 
house  of  Ebenezer  Zane,  there  was  a  keg  of  powder. 
If  that  could  be  procured  they  would  be  enabled  suc- 
cessfully to  defend  the  fort,  and  keep  the  Indians  at  bay. 
Not  a  man  or  boy,  for  they  were  almost  equally  good 
marksmen,  could  be  spared ;  and  yet  some  one  must 
hazard  his  life  in  the  undertaking.  It  was  the  for- 
lorn hope  of  that  little  band,  and  on  it  their  fate  was 
to  turn.  The  commander,  Colonel  Shepherd,  called 
for  a  volunteer  in  this  perilous  undertaking.  Several 
promptly  offered  their  services,  both  men  and  boys ; 
but  they  were  the  bravest  of  the  band,  and  could 
least  be  spared.  The  difficulty  seemed  to  be  not  so 
much  in  finding  the  heart  stout  enough  for  the  fear- 
ful undertaking,  but  in  making  the  selection.  Just 
then,  up  stepped  a  slender,  delicate  girl.  With  the 
spirit  of  her  noble  father,  she  said  to  the  commander, 
"  I  will  bring  the  powder.  If  I  die  in  the  attempt, 
my  loss  will  not  be  felt."  In  vain  they  strove  to  dis- 
suade her,  as  she  would  most  certainly  be  shot ; 


378 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


besides,  slie  could  not  run  with  the  fleetness  of  a 
man.  All  entreaties  were  vain,  and  she  heroically 
exclaimed,  "  Open  the  gates,  and  let  me  go !"  With 
tearful  eyes  the  gates  were  opened,  and  the  intrepid 
girl  bounded  toward  the  house.  The  moment  she 
emerged  from  the  fort  she  was  seen  by  the  Indians, 
who,  instead  of  firing  at  her,  seemed  to  be  taken 
by  a  surprise  and  astonishment  that  for  a  moment 
suspended  their  murderous  purposes.  She  reached 
the  house,  entered  it,  secured  the  desired  keg,  and 
started  back  to  the  fort.  The  soul  of  the  heroic  girl 
was  in  the  effort,  and  bravely  it  sustained  her.  As 
she  sped  across  the  space  with  her  burden  a  dozen 
rifles  were  raised,  and  their  sharp,  simultaneous 
crack  seemed  to  announce  her  doom;  but  she 
neither  fell  nor  faltered.  On  with  accelerated  speed 
she  urged  her  way;  and,  passing  the  gates,  she 
entered  the  fort  in  safety.  The  deed  of  that  brave 
girl  saved  the  fort;  and  an  advantage  was  gained 
over  the  savages  from  which  they  did  not  recover  so 
as  to  renew  their  depredations  in  future  on  that 
frontier  outpost.  Pioneer  life  in  the  West  abounds 
with  incidents  of  female  heroism ;  and  the  simple 
story  of  their  deeds  possesses  a  more  thrilling  interest 
than  can  be  infused  by  the  most  fervent  and  fruitful 
imagination  into  any  scene  of  fiction. 


THE  LOST  HUNTER. 


881 


CHAPTER  XYL 

THE   LOST  HUNTER. 

"  When  spring  to  woods  and  waters  round 

Brought  bloom  and  joy  again, 
The  Western  hunter's  bones  were  found 

Far  down  a  narrow  glen." 

In  the  "Western  wilderness,  at  an  early  day,  a  hunter 
with  his  family  penetrated  beyond  the  settlements  in 
advance  of  civilization,  with  a  view  eventually  of 
effecting  a  clearing  and  securing  for  himself  a  home. 
He  was  young  and  athletic,  and,  with  his  wife,  had 
been  reared  in  the  woods.  Both  were  inured  to 
hardships,  and  they  were  alike  fitted  to  brave  the 
dangers  and  endure  the  ills  of  a  forest  life.  Having 
reached  their  destination,  the  wife  carrying  the  child, 
a  fine  healthy  boy  of  one  summer's  growth,  and  the 
hunter  his  gun,  ax,  and  other  articles  necessary  for 
life  in  a  camp,  they  halted  in  the  afternoon  of  a  balmy 
day,  in  Indian  summer,  on  the  bank  of  a  sparkling 
rivulet,  in  a  dense  but  beautiful  forest.  The  tent,  the 
cloth  of  which  had  been  made  before  they  started, 
was  soon  pitched,  and  ere  night  they  were  safely 
housed  in  their  new  home.    That  night  they  were 


382  PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 

lulled  to  sleep,  after  their  weary  journey,  by  the  rip- 
pling of  the  stream  over  its  pebbly  bed.  Crouched  at 
the  door,  which  was  composed  .of  a  curtain,  as  a  sen- 
tinel, was  the  hunter's  dog,  a  large,  noble  animal,  which 
he  had  raised  expressly  for  hunting,  and  whose  saga- 
city had  proved  equal  to  any  emergency  to  which  he 
had  been  subjected. 

Thus  opened  to  that  young  and  enterprising  family, 
life  in  the  then  far-distant  West.  The  young  husband 
with  his  gun  was  at  no  difficulty  in  securing  plenty  of 
game,  which  roamed  unscared  in  the  forest,  except 
by  an  occasional  Indian  hunter,  who  might  chance  to 
pass  that  way  in  his  winter  range.  He  felled  the 
forest  around  his  cabin,  cut  and  split  up  the  timber 
for  fire  wood,  cleared  out  the  under-brush,  and  had,  by 
the  approach  of  winter,  quite  a  patch  in  readiness  for 
planting  in  the  coming  spring.  Having  devoted  his 
attention  to  clearing  while  the  weather  remained 
good,  or  at  least  so  that  he  could  work  profitably,  he 
had  but  little  time  to  hunt.  But  this  was  not  all;  he 
had  reared  for  his  little  family  a  cabin  composed  of 
such  small  trees  and  limbs  as  he  was  able  of  himself, 
with  the  assistance  of  his  wife,  to  put  in  their  places. 
It  was  small,  but  it  answered  every  purpose,  and 
being  well  chinked  and  daubed,  would  keep  out  the 
wintery  blast. 

Having,  as  before  remarked,  been  unable  to  devote 
much  attention  to  hunting,  his  stock  of  provisions 


THE  LOST  HUNTER.  383 


had  become  quite  limited,  and  it  became  necessary 
for  him  to  sally  out  into  the  surrounding  wilderness 
to  replenish  his  store.  Early  one  morning,  in  the 
beginning  of  winter,  he  furnished  himself  with 
a  piece  of  jerked  venison,  and  bidding  his  wife  and 
child  good-by,  with  the  promise  of  returning  in  the 
afternoon,  he  started  out  on  a  hunt.  He  traveled 
several  miles  without  starting  any  game  except  a 
flock  of  turkeys,  which  were  too  quick  of  wing  to  allow 
a  shot.  The  day,  which  in  the  morning  had  been 
rather  bright  for  a  winter's  day,  began  now  to  assume 
a  somber  and  portentous  aspect.  Dark  clouds  came 
drifting  up  from  the  West,  threatening  a  winter 
storm.  He  thought  of  his  wife  and  child,  and  it  was 
not  strange  that  we  imagine  such  thoughts  to  possess 
his  mind,  when  we  consider  they  were  left  alone  in 
the  woods  many  miles  from  human  habitation.  But 
they  were  not  entirely  alone  :  the  faithful  dog  had 
been  left  to  guard  them  in  their  solitude. 

The  snow  began  to  descend,  and  the  day  was  wear- 
ing away,  but  he  was  in  quest  of  provision  for  the 
loved  ones  at  home,  and  he  pushed  on  through  the 
forest,  heedless  of  the  storm  and  reckless  of  danger. 
At  length  a  large  buck  sprang  from  a  thicket  just  in 
advance  of  him,  and  bounded  away.  The  hunter 
gave  chase ;  and  over  rock  and  crag,  and  deep  ravine, 
and  tangled  thicket,  he  pursued  it,  until,  gaining  the 
base  of  a  hill,  he  directed  his  course  around  it,  hoping 


384  PIONEERS   OF    THE  WEST. 


to  get  a  shot  at  the  affrighted  animal.  In  this  he 
was  fortunate.  Not  hearing  the  hunter's  feet  behind, 
it  stopped  on  the  descent,  and  the  well-directed  aim 
brought  it  to  the  ground.  The  hunter,  delighted  with 
his  success,  shouldered  his  game,  and  started  in  the 
direction  of  home.  The  storm,  however,  began  to 
increase  in  violence,  and  the  heavens  were  darkened 
by  the  thick  flakes  of  snow  which  buried  the  earth 
and  the  trees  in  its  mantle.  On  he  traveled,  but  the 
forest  signs  by  which  he  was  accustomed  to  find  his 
way  were  obliterated,  and  he  knew  not  whither  he 
was  traveling.  Night  was  coming  on,  and  he  was 
many  miles  from  home,  but  that  were  nothing,  did 
he  only  know  the  way  thither.  The  load  was  heavy, 
and  the  depth  of  the  snow  had  now  become  so  great 
that  he  could  make  but  slow  progress. 

He  was  lost — lost  in  the  depths  of  a  dense  and 
dreary  forest ;  still  he  wandered  on.  No  sound  fell 
upon  his  ear  but  the  moaning  winds,  which,  like  a 
funeral  dirge,  added  to  the  gloom.  With  the  storm 
the  cold  increased ;  and  the  snow-crystals,  sharpened 
by  the  frost,  were  like  so  many  stings  to  the  hunter's 
face.  Over  rock,  and  through  glen  and  thicket  he 
urged  his  way,  nerved  by  thoughts  of  home.  All 
burdens  and  hardships  are  light,  and  readily  endured, 
for  those  we  love ;  and  the  poor  hunter,  though  lost, 
was  still  not  destitute  of  hope  that  he  might  find  his 
home.    The  brave,  stout  heart,  however,  could  not 


THE    LOST  HUNTER. 


885 


sustain  the  weary  and  benumbed  frame.  Nature, 
overtasked,  at  last  must  sink  beneath  her  load.  A 
chillness  comes  over  him  as  the  piercing  wind  scat- 
ters its  frosts  around;  and  the  exhausted  traveler, 
unable  to  proceed  any  further,  sinks  down  beneath 
his  burden,  at  the  foot  of  a  tree,  in  a  deep,  narrow 
glen.  He  was  too  far  gone  to  recover  himself,  and 
he  yielded  to  his  fate. 

It  is  said  a  wild  but  delicious  delirium  seizes  the 
mind  of  those  who  are  on  the  point  of  freezing  to 
death ;  and,  if  so,  it  may  not  be  too  great  a  stretch 
of  the  imagination  to  suppose  that  the  lost  man 
dreamed  of  his  quiet  cabin,  and  the  joys  of  his  peace- 
ful home,  and,  in  the  language  of  the  poet,  though 

"  Keason  forsook  her  shatter'd  throne, 

He  dream'd  that  summer  hours 
Again  around  him  brightly  shone, 

In  sunshine,  leaves,  and  flowers ; 
Again  the  fresh,  green,  forest  sod, 
Kifle  in  hand,  he  lightly  trod. 

He  heard  the  deer's  low  bleat ; 
Or,  couch'd  within  the  shadowy  nook, 
Was  lull'd  by  music  of  the  brook, 

That  murmur'd  at  his  feet. 

u  It  changed ;  his  cabin  roof  o'erspread, 

Rafter,  and  wall,  and  chair, 
Gleam'd  in  the  crack'ling  fire  that  shed 

Its  warmth,  and  he  was  there ; 


386 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


His  wife  had  clasp'd  his  hand,  and  now 
Her  gentle  kiss  was  on  his  brow, 

His  child  was  prattling  by ; 
The  dog  couch'd  dozing  near  the  door, 
And  through  the  pane,  frost-pictured  o'er, 

He  saw  the  white  drifts  fly. 

u  That  pass'd ;  before  his  swimming  sight 

Does  not  a  figure  bound  ? 
And  a  soft  voice,  with  wild  delight, 

Proclaim  the  lost  is  found  ? 
No,  hunter,  no !  'tis  but  the  streak 
Of  whirling  snow — the  tempest  shriek— 

No  human  aid  is  near ! 
Never  again  that  form  will  meet 
Thy  clasp'd  embrace ;  those  accents  sweet 

Speak  music  to  thine  ear  I" 

The  hunter  and  his  victim  lay  side  by  side  in  the 
icy  arms  of  death ;  and  ere  the  morning  broke  over 
that  dreary  forest  they  were  inclosed  in  a  winding- 
sheet  of  snow.  It  were  vain  to  search  for  the  lost 
amid  the  ruins  of  such  a  storm.  Nor  until  spring 
came  and  melted  away  the  snow,  and  brought  its 
leaves  and  flowers,  did  a  brother  hunter  find  his 
bones,  and  bear  to  the  heart-broken  widow  the  sad 
news  of  his  death,  and  the  only  mementoes  that  were 
left,  his  rifle  and  his  knife. 


THE 


WISCONSIN 


SCHOOLMA'AM. 


387 


CHAPTEE  XVII. 

THE  WISCONSIN  SCHOOLMA'AM. 

It  was  a  cold,  wet  day  in  April.  The  wind  sighed 
and  moaned  through  the  trees,  and  the  driving  rain 
came  down,  pitilessly  drenching  the  tender  buds  that 
but  yesterday  were  swollen,  well-nigh  to  bursting, 
with  a  new  and  buoyant  life.  Anon  the  heavy  drops 
were  changed  to  large  snow  flakes,  which  alighted  in 
the  very  bosoms  of  the  bright-eyed  hepatica,  the  star- 
flowered  bloodroot,  and  bowed  still  lower  the  modest 
heads  of  the  erythronium.  An  early  spring,  and  a 
long  succession  of  bright,  "Wisconsin  suns,  had  called 
these  out  somewhat  earlier  than  their  wont ;  but  they 
found  that,  if  winter  had  not  "  lingered  in  the  lap  of 
spring,"  he  had  come  back  to  bid  her  a  very  boister- 
ous adieu,  and,  in  doing  so,  he  forgot  not  to  tread  on 
the  little  ones. 

"  See  there,  ma'am,  if  there  aint  a  man  and  woman 
on  horseback,  with  an  umbrell ;"  and  the  next  mo- 
ment no  less  than  four  little  tow-heads  were  crowded 
into  the  six-paned  window  of  the  cabin,  with  the 
mother's  head  above  them  all,  gazing  at  the  stran- 


388 


PIONEEKS   OF  THE  WEST. 


gers ;  and  when  the  latter  were  out  of  sight  from  the 
window,  the  "  young  'uns"  ran  out  in  the  rain,  and 
watched  them  away  down  the  ravine,  in  spite  of  re- 
peated injunctions  to  "come  into  the  heouse"  and 
"  shut  that  air  door." 

A  few  minutes  after  "  dad"  came  in  with  a  neigh- 
bor, saying  that  he  had  just  met  the  "  elder,"  as  he 
called  the  circuit  preacher,  taking  his  daughter  to  be 
"inspected,"  in  order  to  teach  their  school  that  sum- 
mer. Then  followed  some  conjecturing  as  to  whether 
she  would  get  a  certificate. 

"Git  a  sirtificate  ?  Of  course  she  will !  She  is  one 
of  the  smartest  teachers  in  the  country.  They  are 
going  to  give  her  a  dollar  and  twelve  and  a  half  cents 
a  week,  and  that's  more  than  they  have  ever  gin  a 
schoolma'am  afore." 

"  Yes ;  but  you  know  Dr.  Dean  has  to  do  all  the 
examining.  He  lives  down  to  Woupekon,  and  they 
don't  want  us  to  have  any  school  here,  because  they 
aint  going  to  have  any  down  there;  they  are  too 
stingy  to  have  a  school,  and  they  are  afraid  that  we 
shall  git  the  start  on  'em." 

"  O,  they  git  eout !  It's  of  no  use  for  them  to  be 
so  mighty  smart ;  they  han't  got  the  nateral  advant- 
ages that  we  have,  no  how  they  can  fix  it." 

And  then  followed  a  long  string  of  reasons,  all  jpro 
and  none  con.,  why  this  particular  "settlement"  was  a 
"  leetle  ahead"  of  any  other  for  some  miles  around, 


THE   WISCONSIN    SCHOOLMA'AM.  389 

to  say  nothing  of  the  advantages  which  they  enjoyed 
over  those  who  lived  in  Illinois  or  Michigan,  or  any 
other  state  East  or  South.  As  for  the  West,  they 
supposed  that  there  were  some  nice  situations  out  in 
Iowa,  where  nobody  had  "  gone  in and  the  owner 
of  the  cabin  rather  thought  that  he  should  try  his 
luck  out  there  before  long.  Neighbors  were  getting 
"  a  'most  too  thick  here ;  he'd  thought  so  ever  since 
Jones  had  come  in  a  mile  below  him."  For  his  part, 
he  did  not  like  to  be  crowded.  He  would  not  want 
to  live  in  such  a  place  as  it  was  down  at  the  village, 
where  you  could  stand  in  your  own  door  and  see  half 
a  dozen  houses,  all  in  the  same  "  clearinV 

It  will  be  readily  perceived  that  our  log-cabin  man 
was  a  specimen  of  the  genuine  Yankee  pioneer,  a 
character,  it  must  be  confessed,  quite  rare  in  North- 
em  Wisconsin.  The  pioneers  of  that  country  were 
the  Canadian  French,  whose  settlements  were  com- 
menced as  earlv  as  the  first  half  of  the  eighteenth 
century.  Their  descendants  still  remain,  a  mingled 
race  of  half-breeds,  that,  with  a  few  honorable  excep- 
tions, do  no  credit  to  their  illustrious  ancestors,  either 
by  their  enterprise  or  intelligence. 

The  tide  of  immigration  here  from  the  Eastern 
states,  unlike  that  of  the  states  further  South,  came 
on,  when  it  did  begin,  with  a  rush  that  mostly  swal- 
lowed up  its  own  pioneers,  instead  of  ever  bearing 
them  forward  and  casting  them  upon  the  further 

24 


390 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


shore  of  civilization.  That  may  be  partly  accounted 
for  in  the  fact  that  this  northern  region  was,  till  within 
a  short  time,  supposed  to  be  inhospitably  cold.  In- 
stances are  not  wanting  within  the  last  twenty  years 
where  immigrants  have  found  it  almost  impossible  to 
convince  their  friends,  who  yet  lingered  behind,  that 
Indian  corn  actually  grew  rankly  and  ripened  in  one 
season,  yielding  an  ample  harvest,  in  central  Wis- 
consin. And  it  is  credibly  stated  that,  a  little  longer 
since,  official  instructions  were  given  to  a  government 
officer,  en  route  for  Green  Bay,  to  go  from  Milwaukie 
thither  by  sleighing  in  the  month  of  May. 

When  these  illusions  were  dispelled,  and  it  became 
known  that  a  fair  and  fertile  country,  beautifully 
variegated  with  prairie  and  woodland,  and  of  a 
warmer  climate  than  the  same  latitudes  East,  was  all 
unappropriated,  the  tide  of  Eastern  emigration  set  in 
this  direction.  At  this  time  the  Erie  Canal,  and  soon 
afterward  the  Central  Railroad,  were  in  full  opera- 
tion, and  semi-weekly  lake  steamers  swept  the  whole 
Michigan  shore  of  the  new  Eden,  thus  affording 
opportunities  for  its  rapid  settlement  which  few  other 
Western  states  could  boast.  Taking  these  things  into 
account,  it  is  not  surprising  that  its  settlers  presented 
traces  of  unusual  refinement  at  a  very  early  period. 
Coming  by  water,  they  could  and  did  bring  their 
furniture  with  them ;  the  same  facilities  brought  their 
weekly  newspapers  and  their  letters,  and  thus  they 


THE   WISCONSIN   SCHOOL!  A7  A  M.  891 

were  never  shut  out  so  completely  from  Eastern  civil- 
ization, and  left  to  grow  barbarous,  as  they  would 
under  more  unfavorable  circumstances.  This  may 
explain  the  appearance  of  refinement  in  the  school- 
mistress, who  was  usually,  as  "  down  East,"  the  daugh- 
ter of  the  farmer,  and  who  there  considers  it  a  neces- 
sary finish  to  her  education  to  teach  school  a  year  or 
two  before  getting  married.  (Tide  Miss  Lyon.) 

Thus  it  is  evident  that  the  points  we  are  to  trace 
must  be  the  peculiarities  that  privation  would  induce, 
and  the  energies  which  the  circumstances  would 
naturally  develop.  Accordingly,  we  find  one  Mary 
Catlin  prompt  to  her  engagement,  and,  determined  to 
avoid  giving  a  pretext  for  a  ruse,  starting  out  on  this 
unpleasant  day  to  meet  the  town  commissioners.  It 
was  a  long,  weary  ride  on  the  crupper,  ten  miles, 
across  bare,  fenceless  prairies,  through  cross-cuts  and 
byways,  to  shorten  the  route ;  but  the  log-cabin  of 
the  second  commissioner,  the  appointed  place  of 
meeting,  was  at  last  in  sight.  It  must  be  confessed 
that  Mary  dreaded  a  formal  examination,  and,  indeed, 
it  was  not  usual  to  have  anything  critical  on  such 
occasions,  unless  rivalry  or  some  similar  cause  de- 
manded it. 

Take,  for  example,  Mary's  first  examination,  the 
previous  summer,  conducted,  as  usual,  by  a  Dr., 
(mind,  we  did  not  say  an  M.  2?.,)  which  character 
was  supposed  to  embody  about  as  much  profound 


392 


PIONEERS   OF  THE  WEST. 


learning  as  any  other  individual  corporation  in  a 
new  country,  not  even  excepting  the  general  run  of 
those  land-sharks  who  pompously  placarded  them- 
selves as  "Attorneys  at  Law;"  for  the  West,  even  at 
an  early  date,  was  by  no  means  deficient  in  this  very 
important  element  of  (trouble  in)  society. 

But  in  the  case  referred  to,  the  worthy  doctor  had 
evidently  grown  rusty  on  the  "rudiments,"  and  the 
examination  consisted  of  a  few  common-place  ques- 
tions on  geography  and  arithmetic,  and  an  attempt 
at  orthography,  which,  after  proceeding  as  far  as  the 
number  of  letters  in  the  alphabet  and  their  divisions, 
was  rounded  off  with  a  laugh,  and  the  remark  that 
he  believed  he  had  "really  forgotten  the  fore-part  of 
the  spelling-book!" 

Meanwhile,  to  answer  the  requirements  of  the  law 
and  append  his  name  to  the  certificate,  there  sat  by 
a  burly  Dutchman,  who  could  hardly  comprehend  a 
whole  sentence  in  English;  and,  the  examination 
finished,  they  "sertified  that  Miss  Mary  Catlin  was 
qualified  to  teach  a  comon  school !" 

In  the  present  case  it  would  not  be  so,  for  Dr.  Dean 
had  taught  school  himself,  which  was  an  argument  to 
the  point. 

Meanwhile,  they  arrived  at  the  house,  after  go- 
ing away  up  hill,  through  a  pair  of  bars,  and  tnen 
away  down  around  a  swamp.  A  cordial  welcome 
from  the  inmates  of  the  cottage,  and  a  smoking  din- 


THE  WISCONSIN  SCHOOLMA'AM. 


393 


ner,  awaited  them ;  the  latter  more  remarkable  for  its 
savoriness,  abundance,  and  the  generous  hospitality 
with  which  it  was  offered,  than  for  its  variety; 
though  Westerners,  after  a  year  or  two,  generally  live 
one  or  two  thirds  better  than  they  did  "down  East." 
The  conversation  at  dinner  led  to  mutual  congratula- 
tions on  the  excellent  promise  of  educational  privi- 
leges to  be  enjoyed  in  their  state  that  was  to  be,  and 
ended  with  the  satisfied  assurance  of  every  one  that 
they  were  really  among  the  most  fortunate  beings  in 
the  world,  simply  because  they  had  become  hadgers. 

Dinner  being  ended,  in  due  time  the  momentous 
subject  was  introduced,  and  it  soon  became  evident 
that  Dr.  Dean  intended  to  discharge  his  duty  consci- 
entiously; for  he  questioned  the  young  lady  up  hill 
and  down,  on  all  the  ordinary  branches  of  education, 
and  some  of  the  extraordinary.  He  certainly  thought 
it  necessary  to  impress  her  duly  with  the  fact  that  she 
could  not  and  did  not  know  too  much  for  a  school 
teacher,  both  of  which  convictions,  he  considered, 
would  be  best  brought  about  by  a  due  display  of  his 
own  superior  knowledge.  Although  she  could  not 
answer  all  the  questions  that  he  propounded,  yet  he 
discovered  her  to  be  so  much  better  qualified  than 
many  of  the  dollar  and  six-shilling  girls  that  he 
would  be  obliged  to  pass,  that  it  would  not  answer 
to  refuse  her  a  certificate,  even  if  he  felt  disposed  to 
gratify  local  prejudices.    So,  after  giving  some  very 


394 


PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


good  advice,  he  ended  by  gayly  saying,  "Now,  Miss 
Catlin,  I  will  give  you  a  certificate  if  you  can  tell  me 
which  side  of  a  shirt  wristband  to  put  the  button-hole 
in."  A  general  laugh  followed,  which  was  heightened 
by  her  quick  reply,  "  O,  on  the  right  side,  of  course !" 
and  the  certificate  was  made  out  forthwith. 

In  selecting  our  model,  we  may  not  have  taken  the 
most  common  type  of  the  Western  schoolmistress. 
The  universal  schoolmistress  that  we  used  to  see  in 
our  childish  days,  was  young,  somewhere  between 
fifteen  and  eighteen,  romping  and  wild,  though  good- 
hearted  enough;  by  some  chance  yet  unmarried,  but 
by  no  chance  without  a  beau  to  take  her  to  parties, 
hops,  and  huskings.  She  had  enjoyed  all  the  advant- 
ages of  a  district  school  in  the  winter  since  she  was 
twelve  years  old;  and  now — -well,  she  made  no  secret 
of  it,  and  I  see  no  reason  why  I  should — the  gist  of 
the  matter  was,  she  was  to  be  married  in  the  fall ;  arid 
while  her  "feller"  was  "breaking  up"  a  few  acres, 
and  chinking  his  cabin  for  the  winter,  she  must  teach 
a  three-months'  school  somewhere,  as  the  only  chance 
at  her  command  for  getting  a  little  money  to  buy  her 
a  smart  wedding  gown,  and  a  table,  or  a  high-post 
bedstead,  or  a  looking  glass,  or  something  of  the  kind, 
as  a  sort  of  an  apology  for  the  setting-out  that  her  poor 
squatter  father,  with  his  half  a  dozen  children,  could 
not  give  her.  This  was  before  the  days  in  which 
Governor  Slade  commenced  sending  out  teachers 


THE  WISCONSIN  SCHOOL! A' A M.  395 

into  Wisconsin,  or  we  might  have  given  you  a  da- 
guerreotype of  a  schoolmistress  by  profession,  and  a 
matrimonial-alliance  hunter  by  practice,  for  as  such 
these  self-denying  women  are  looked  upon  all  through 
the  West. 

But  Mary  Catlin,  as  we  remember  her,  had  the 
spirit  of  the  genuine  educator,  and  her  character 
was  not  without  its  duplicates  even  in  the  new 
settlements  of  Wisconsin.  She  saw  the  necessity  of 
mental  and  moral  development  in  herself,  and  in 
others,  and,  as  the  surest  mode  of  securing  both, 
she  turned  her  attention  to  teaching.  As  example 
is  great  beyond  all  other  influences,  so  her  earnest 
thirst  for  knowledge  infused  itself  even  into  the 
young  minds  that  attended  the  summer  school ;  and 
long  afterward  did  the  mothers  tell,  to  the  annoy- 
ance of  transient  teachers,  how  fast  Jim  and  Mat 
learned  the  summer  that  they  went  to  school  to 
Mary  Catlin. 

But  not  the  least  of  Mary's  qualifications  were 
her  energy  and  promptitude,  for  without  these  she 
would  have  effected  little.  In  the  commotion  inci- 
dent to  making  a  new  home,  to  selecting  and  secur- 
ing a  desirable  "eighty"  or  quarter  section,  to 
neighborhood  rivalries  in  securing  for  this  or  that 
place  the  school-house,  the  post-office,  the  court- 
house, or  even  the  direction  of  the  plank-road,  to  say 
nothing  of  locating  and  laying  out  city  and  village 


\ 

396  PIONEERS   OF   THE  WEST. 


plots;  all  of  these  were  of  sucli  vital  importance, 
as  affecting  the  "future  interests  of  tlie  country," 
as  to  keep  individuals,  and  community  in  general, 
in  a  state  of  perpetual  excitement;  and  no  small 
amount  of  long-headedness  and  sharp-si  ghtedness 
was  required  to  see  through  and  steer  through  all 
these  conflicting  interests.  Then  woe  be  to  the  poor 
fellow  whose  wits  failed  him  in  the  crisis !  He  was 
sure  to  go  under,  and  he  might  about  as  well  go 
back  East  at  once.  But  what  has  all  this  to  do 
with  the  schoolmistress  ?  Much  every  way,  but 
especially  with  the  ground  on  which  was  based  the 
general  estimate  of  any  person's  abilities,  and  his 
consequent  social  standing  and  influence.  And 
now  for  examples  of  Mary's  energy.  Does  the  log 
school-house  want  cleaning  before  Mary  can  com- 
mence the  summer  school?  She  boldly  heads  the 
little  band  that  have  come  to  help  her,  and  it  is 
done  up  in  a  trice.  Does  the  house  look  dreary,  as 
it  stands  on  a  corner  where  two  ways  meet,  with 
no  tree  near  it,  and  no  fence,  except  one  to  shut  it 
out  from  the  green  fields,  with  its  high  windows 
sprinkled  with  shingle-panes,  and  its  high  slab-benches 
and  rickety  writing-tables?  She  makes  the  best 
of  it ;  allows  that  land  is  too  scarce  in  a  new  country, 
or,  at  least,  that  it  will  one  day  be  too  valuable  to 
waste  much  on  a  school-house  site,  and  that  shade- 
trees  might  rot  the  roof,  or  blow  over  upon  it,  and  so 


THE  WISCONSIN  SCHOOLMA'AM.  397 

she  lias  it  kept  nicely  brushed  out  with  the  cedar- 
broom,  and  the  walls  trimmed  with  fresh  branches 
of  oak  leaves,  until  the  children  really  love  the  once 
uninviting  place.  Are  the  houses  in  the  district  scat- 
tered, and  many  of  the  patrons  living  at  the  distance 
of  one  and  a  half  or  two  miles?  Mary  does  not 
play  the  lady,  but  boards  out  her  full  quota  of 
time  at  each  place,  though  she  sometimes  thinks 
to  herself  that  she  would  like  to  know  who  first 
invented  "  boarding  round."  She  considers  that  he 
deserved  a  premium  of  some  kind.  Were  some  of 
her  homes  not  quite  so  neat  as  they  might  be  ?  She 
made  no  faces,  but  took  her  dose  quietly,  although 
some  of  her  places  for  repose  might  be  so  uncom- 
fortable as  to  induce  a  belief  in  the  story  boldly 
asserted  by  some  Western  housekeepers,  that  bugs 
grow  wild  in  the  woods ! 

In  going  across  lots,  does  she  rend  her  dress  sadly 
in  scaling  a  seven-railed  fence?  or  does  she  slip  off 
the  little  two-poled  bridge  into  the  black,  mucky  bot- 
tom of  the  creek  two  feet  deep  ?  She  takes  it  coolly 
turns  her  course  at  once  toward  her  temporary 
home,  and  is  dressed  and  at  school  before  the  time. 

This  readiness  for  emergencies  gained  for  her  a 
confidence,  and  commanded  a  respect  that  she 
could  not  otherwise  have  enjoyed;  and  in  no  in- 
stance was  the  truth  of  this  more  fully  verified  than 
with  regard  to  the  devotional  exercises  of  Mary's 


398 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


school.  She  had  previously  been  in  the  habit  of 
opening  school  by  reading  the  Scriptures  and  prayer. 
On  coming  here,  she  learned  that  one  Mr.  Gray, 
an  influential  man  in  school  matters,  had  openly 
opposed  one  of  the  winter  teachers  in  having  devo- 
tional exercises  in  school,  and  obliged  him  to  desist. 
This  man  was  formerly  a  Hicksite,  now  an  infidel, 
and  read  the  Age  of  Reason  instead  of  the  Bible. 
"What  was  to  be  done  ?  She  concluded  that  if  they 
put  her  out  of  the  school  for  that,  she  could  leave, 
with  the  blessing  of  God,  but  she  could  not  remain 
without  it.  That  resolution  taken,  she  entered  school 
the  first  morning,  and,  after  kindly  greetings  all 
around,  she  talked  to  them  so  sensibly  and  so  lov- 
ingly about  their  object  in  coming  there,  and  the 
best  means  of  attaining  that  object,  and  the  necessity 
of  asking  the  blessing  of  God  on  all  that  was  to  be 
done,  that  there  was  not  a  thoughtless  face  in  the 
room;  and  when  she  said,  "Let  us  pray,"  every 
little  knee  was  bowed.  After  this,  by  her  proposal, 
they  gladly  came  every  morning  at  a  quarter  before 
nine,  to  read  their  Testaments  and  listen  to  Mary's 
earnest  prayer  before  the  regular  hour  for  com- 
mencing the  duties  of  the  day. 

Against  this  arrangement  Mr.  Gray  could  find 
nothing  to  say,  as  the  children  came  of  their  own 
accord,  and  his  among  the  number. 

It  is  by  no  means  our  intention  to  detail  the 


THE  WISCONSIN  SCHOOLMA'AM.  399 

occurrences  of  the  summer,  but  one  more  scene  and 
we  have  done. 

We  have  not  explained  why  Mary  Catlin,  at  the 
age  of  twenty,  was  yet  unmarried,  a  very  uncommon 
occurrence  just  at  that  stage  of  new  country  progress. 
Neither  did  she  often  have  a  beau,  and  some  said  that 
she  carried  her  head  too  high.  Perhaps  the  young 
men  thought  so  too;  for  one  bit  of  Yankee  shrewd- 
ness and  self-importance  they  must  have  the  credit, 
they  never  adventured  themselves  far  without 
being  pretty  sure  of  their  footing.  Then,  too,  they 
wanted  house-keepers  right  away,  if  at  all,  and  they 
had  not  much  time  to  waste  in  playing  the  gallant, 
but  drove  away  at  those  they  thought  themselves 
likeliest  to  get  without  much  trouble.  No  doubt 
many  a  young  farmer  would  have  sought  Mary's 
hand,  but  she  had  other  thoughts.  Getting  a  "likely 
young  man"  was  not  so  much  in  her  mind,  as  being 
suitably  qualified  to  discharge  any  of  the  great  re- 
sponsibilities of  life  that  might  fall  to  her  share,  so 
that  she  was  in  no  haste  ;  but  more  than  all  the  rest, 
no  one  had  looked  into  her  heart  or  stirred  its  depth  of 
feeling. 

Mary  was  quite  a  little  botanist  in  her  way;  she 
had  picked  up  an  old  treatise  on  Flora  somewhere, 
and  this  summer  especially,  in  the  pursuit  of  this 
study,  her  genuine  love  of  nature  rose  to  a  perfect 
enthusiasm.     Fearlessly  she  roamed  the  woods,  the 


400 


PIONEERS  OF  THE  WEST. 


prairies,  and  the  openings,  all  alone,  and  culled 
many  a  beautiful  wild  flower,  and  then  sat  down  to 
find  its  name  and  nature.  And  if  by  chance  she 
succeeded,  how  tenderly  would  she  caress  the  little 
thing,  and  call  it  her  new  friend.  Others,  she  said, 
might  gather  it  for  a  momentary  nosegay,  or  pass  it 
by  unheeded ;  but  she  would  always  call  its  name, 
and  recognize  its  hidden  nature.  And  this  was  the 
deepest  sympathy  the  lone  girl  knew  for  any  created 
thing. 

One  night  upon  going  to  one  of  her  many  homes, 
with  her  old  Botany,  and  her  arms  full  of  flowers  as 
usual,  she  found  Mr.  Winslow  there.  She  had  already 
formed  some  slight  acquaintance  with  him;  he  was 
the  last  winter's  teacher,  a  man  of  such  refinement 
and  gentleness  of  manner,  as  could  but  win  her 
esteem. 

"  You  seem  quite  fond  of  flowers,  Miss  Catlin,"  he 
said  pleasantly. 

"  Indeed  I  am,"  was  the  reply.  "  I  call  them  my 
little  friends ;  all  the  friends  that  I  have." 

"  All  the  friends  that  you  have  ?"  echoed  he. 

"  Yes,  heart  friends,  I  mean,"  she  returned  apolo- 
getically; but  she  blushed  a  conscious  acknowledg- 
ment that  she  had  not  mended  the  matter,  and  her 
eye  fell  beneath  his  earnest  responsive  gaze. 

"You  deserve  more  sympathizing  friends  than 
these,"  said  he,  with  tenderness;  and  then,  silently 


THE  WISCONSIN  SCHOOLMA'AM.  401 

taking  a  wild  rose,  he  wore  it  in  his  button-hole  the 
remainder  of  the  evening. 

This  was  far  from  being  the  last  evening  that  they 
spent  together.  He,  too,  turned  botanist ;  and  the 
topics  of  their  conversation  were  in  endless  variety. 
Natural  science,  poetry,  school-teaching,  and  human 
nature,  they  never  wearied  of,  and  on  all  these  topics 
their  views  and  feelings  were  so  much  alike,  that 
interchange  of  thought  became  only  a  source  of  the 
most  refined  pleasure  to  the  unsophisticated  Mary. 
But  their  evident  regard  for  each  other  soon  became 
a  matter  of  neighborhood  gossip,  and  the  coarse  jokes 
that  were  passed  grated  harshly  on  her  sensitive  ear. 
In  the  course  of  time,  however,  these  jokes  had  their 
usual  injurious  effect.  Was  he  not  indeed  very 
attentive  to  her  ?  she  asked  herself.  Were  they  not 
one  heart  and  one  soul,  and  would  it  not  be  well  to 
secure  such  a  friend?  True,  he  was  not  professedly 
religious.  They  had  never  conversed  on  that  sub- 
ject; she  had  not  the  courage  to  mention  it ;  but  she 
did  really  think  that  he  must  be  pious  at  heart ;  at 
all  events,  he  was  very  moral  outwardly.  Yet,  in 
spite  of  her  reasoning,  there  were  misgivings  within 
on  this  important  subject. 

Thus  the  summer  passed  away.  Brown  autumn 
came,  and  spread  the  prairies  over  with  the  golden 
rod,  and  dotted  the  openings  with  the  blue  gentian, 
and  filled  the  wood  with  innumerable  asters.  The 


402 


PIONEERS   OF    THE  WEST. 


summer  school  had  closed.  Mary  would  go  home 
to-morrow,  and  as  yet  Henry,  for  so  she  loved  to  call 
him  to  herself,  had  not  said  one  tender  word  about 
their  parting.  Could  it  be  that  he  did  not  care  for 
her?  What  meant  all  the  earnest  glances  of  those 
deep,  serious  eyes?  Were  they  truthful?  She 
scarcely  harbored  a  doubt,  and  yet  there  had  been  a 
touch  of  coldness  in  his  manner  toward  her  that  day. 
It  was  in  the  dusk  of  evening,  and  Mary  stood  thus 
thoughtfully  among  the  wild  shrubbery  of  the  yard. 
The  road  was  concealed  from  her  sight,  but  she  heard 
her  own  name  mentioned  by  some  one  passing ;  it 
was  Mr.  Winslow's  voice,  in  an  undertone.  "  I  like 
that  Mary  Catlin,"  said  he  to  his  companion,  "  and 
if  I  had  not  told  any  one  about  here  that  I  was  a 
married  man,  I'd  make  her  an  oifer."  And  the  two 
entered  the  house,  but  Mary  stood  still.  An  hour 
passed,  and  another;  she  did  not  come  in,  and  so  they 
departed.  Could  we  scan  that  little  grove  near  by,  in 
the  faint  star-light  Ave  might  discern  the  bowed  form 
of  the  smitten  one,  but  we  will  not  trespass  on  her 
retirement. 

Most  fortunate  would  it  be  for  our  Western  girls, 
if  the  antecedents  of  their  suitors'  lives  were  always 
found  out  even  so  early  in  the  day  as  in  the  present 
case ;  but  the  difficulties  that  often  prevent  any  in- 
vestigations in  the  matter,  together  with  their  ear- 
nestness and  love  of  change,  led  on  by  the  enterprise 


THE  WISCONSIN    SCHOOLMA'AM.  403 

which  is  a  part  of  their  very  being,  often  plunge  them 
into  unwritten  disasters. 

But  what  became  of  Mary?  Well,  she  neither 
drowned  herself,  took  prussic  acid,  nor  ate  poisonous 
berries.  No,  no ;  she  had  too  much  good  sense  to  do 
any  such  thing.  Besides,  women  are  not  plenty 
enough  out  West ;  they  cannot  afford  to  throw  them- 
selves away.  I  am  afraid  that  you  will  not  think  it 
romantic,  but  I  will  tell  you.  She  took  the  Pioneer's 
Universal  Sanative — went  further  West.  She  taught 
school  a  couple  of  years  upon  the  Iowa  bank  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  then  married  a  widower  with  chil- 
dren. Well,  poor  man !  he  had  just  come  on  from 
the  East.  His  wife  had  died  soon  after  his  arrival 
here ;  he  had  left  all  his  friends  behind ;  strangers 
were  very  kind  to  him,  but  they  all  had  children 
enough  of  their  own  to  care  for ;  was  not  our  Mary  a 
godsend  to  him  ?  And  then  he  was  a  worthy,  sensible, 
pious,  and  reliable  man,  one  whom  she  certainly  could 
respect.  And  her  cheerful  devotedness  to  him  and 
his,  and  the  happy,  contented  look  which  she  wears 
to  this  day,  will  tell  you,  if  yon  are  willing  to  see  it, 
that  she  does  more  than  respect,  she  reverences  also. 

Meantime  her  foster  children,  with  her  own,  have 
arisen  up  to  call  her  blessed ;  and  the  eldst  of  them 
now  occupies  a  seat  in  the  legislature  of  his  adopted 
state. 

THE  END. 


: 


